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IMPROPER POSITION. 



PROPER POSITION. 



NATIONAL SCHOOL SERIES. 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 



IN 



EEADIIG AID ELOCUTION. 



f art fxttt 

LESSONS IN READING, 

BY 

RICHARD GREENE PARKER, 

AUTHOR OF NATIONAL SERIES OF SCHOOL READERS, AIDS TO ENGLISH 

COMPOSITION, SCHOOL COMPENDIUM OF NATURAL 

PHILOSOPHY, ETC. 



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LESSONS IN ELOCUTION, 

BY jfC^ZACHOS, 
(m nattbe ©fteefc,) 

AUTHOR OF NEW AMERICAN SPEAK E-R . 



NEW YORK: 
-PUBLISHED BY A. S. BARNES & CO. 

NO. 51 JOHN-STREET. 

CINCINNATI: — H. W< DERBY & CO. 

1852, 






^\\ 






Entered according to Act of Congress, ill tbe year 1352, 

By A. 8. BAENES & CO. 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the Southern 
District of New York. 



A. S BARNES & Co., Printers, 
Corner of .' obn and Dutch streets. 






PREFACE. 



The principal difficult}", in teaching the art of Reading, lies in conveying 
to the pupil a clear idea of tone, modulation, and inflection of the voice. If 
the teacher can induce the pupil to inflect his voice at all, he will find little 
difficulty in teaching him to modulate it rightly. Nature directs every one 
in this, in common conversation, with unerring precision. It is only, there 
fore, by "holding the mirror up to Nature," that the teacher can expect to see 
her as she is. Few teachers have not noticed the animation and correctness 
with which even young children will modulate the colloquial parts of their 
story-books. But the same children almost invariably fall into a lifeless, 
monotonous manner, when performing their portioned tasks in their reading- 
books at school. This arises from no want of excellent selections for exer- 
cises in Reading. But a wide distinction is to be drawn between a lesson 
and an exercise. We have many selections abounding in all the beauties of 
taste, learning, and judgment ; which may, with great advantage, be put 
into the hands of the pupil, after he has been taught the art of reading; but 
I have met with none, designed for the general classes of learners, which 
have combined instruction with practice. It has been thought that directions 
for the management of the voice in reading would be lost upon young learn- 
ers, and that they are suitable for them only whose riper powers and more 
matured intellect better fit them for their reception, But it seems to have 
been forgotten, how easily children are taught to imitate. If, in connection 
with some colloquial sentence, another of less obvious import be given, 
requiring the same modulations and infections of the voice, the child natur- 
ally catches the true manner of modulating the latter, from the former. It is 
upon this principle of imitation and analogy combined, that many of the 
lessons in this volume are founded. The author has been convinced, by 
experience, in the institution under his charge, that the principle is a good 
one ; and experience, he thinks, does not often deceive. Whether the details 
if the plan are judiciously executed, is for others to decide. 

Such being the plan of the work, the author has thought it inexpedient to 
encumber its pages with rules, definitions, or explanatory details ; because it 
has been fully proved that how simple soever a rule may be, the pupil will 
not readily apply it, unless particularly directed by the teacher ; and if nature 
and analogy will direct him to a correct and rhetorical modulation, rules and 
definitions become superfluous. 

A great deficiency in all our reading-books remains to be supplied. The 
1* 



VI PREFACE. 

Spelling-book and the Grammar furnish copious explanations of the pauses 
and other marks used in written language. But there is no elementary 
work, designed for common schools, which affords particular exercises for the 
management of those important marks. The author has endeavored, in the 
iirst part of this volume, to supply this remarkable defect ; and he believes, 
that, how much soever others may differ from him in the analogies which he 
has traced, in the subsequent lessons, between "the models" and the exer- 
cises under the models, he is justly entitled to the credit of having originated 
the two important principles above mentioned, upon which the plan of the 
work is founded ; and he is encouraged, not only by experience, but by the 
confident opinion of many judicious friends, to whom the plan has been 
unfolded, to believe that this volume, assisted by the familiar explanations 
of the teacher, will serve as a better introduction to the art of Reading 
than a more labored treatise formed on rhetorical rule. A lesson is first 
devoted to each of the respective pauses and other marks, and the pupil is 
then led by progressive steps, in the subsequent lessons, from the simplest 
sentences, requiring little attention to pause, emphasis, or inflection of the 
voice, to those which involve the highest exertions of taste and intellect. 
Lilac Lodge, Dedham, Mass., 



INTRODUCTION. 



As a large portion of this volume is devoted to a consideration of the 
pauses and other marks usually employed in written language, and the 
notice which should be taken of them in the correct and judicious enun- 
ciation of the sentences in which they are respectively used, a few intro- 
ductory remarks respecting their nature and the origin of their names 
may not, perhaps, be deemed superfluous by those who use the book. 

Punctuation is peculiar to the modern languages of Europe. It was 
wholly unknown to the Greeks and Romans ; and the languages of the 
East, although they have certain marks or signs to indicate tones, have 
no regular system of punctuation. The Romans and the Greeks also, 
it is true, had certain points, which, like those of the languages of the 
East, were confined to the delivery and pronunciation of words- but the 
pauses were indicated by breaking up the matter into lines or para- 
graphs, not by marks resembling those in the modern system of punc- 
tuation. Hence, in the responses of the ancient oracles, which were 
generally written down by the priests and delivered to the inquirers, the 
ambiguity — intentional, doubtless — which the want of punctuation 
caused, saved the credit of the oracle, whether the expected event was 
favorable or unfavorable. As an instance of this kind, may be cited that 
remarkable response which was given on a well known occasion when 
the oracle was consulted with regard to the success of a certain military 
expedition. 

'■'Ibis et redibis nunquam peribis in bello." "Written, as it was, 
without being pointed, it might be translated either " Thou shalt go } 
and shalt never return, thou shalt perish in battle/' or u . Thou shalt go 
and shalt return, thou shalt never perish in battle.*' The correct trans- 
lation depends on the placing of a comma after the word nunquam. or 
after redibis. 

The invention of the modern system of punctuation has been attrib- 
to the Alexandrian grammarian Aristophanes, after whom it was 
improved by succeeding grammarians ; but it was so entirely lost in the 
time of Charlemagne that he found it necessary to have it restored by 
"Warnefried and Alcuin. It consisted at first of only one point, used in 
three ways, and sometimes of a stroke, both being formed in several 
ways. But as no particular rules were followed in the use of these signs, 
punctuation was exceedingly uncertain, until the end of the fifteenth 



8 



INTRODUCTION. 



century, when the learned Venetian printers, the Manutii, increased the 
number of the signs, and established some fixed rules for their applica- 
tion. These were so generally adopted, that we may consider them as 
the inventors of the present method of punctuation; and although mod- 
ern grammarians have introduced some improvements, nothing but some 
particular rules have been added since that time. 

The design of the system of Manutius was purely grammatical, and 
had no further reference to enunciation, than to remove ambiguity in 
the meaning and to give precision to the sentence. This, therefore, is 
the object of punctuation, and although the marks employed in written 
language may sometimes denote the different pauses and tones of voice 
which the sense and an accurate pronunciation require, yet they are 
more generally designed to mark the grammatical divisions of a sen- 
tence, and to show the dependence and relation of words and members 
which are separated by the intervening clauses. The teacher, therefore, 
who directs his pupils to "mind their pauses in reading," gives but an 
unintelligible direction to those who are unversed in the rules of analysis. 
A better direction would be to disregard the pauses, and endeavor to read 
the sentence with just such pauses and tones as they would employ if 
the sentence were their own, and they were uttering it in common con- 
versation. The truth of this remark will abundantly appear by a refer- 
ence to the ninth lesson of this volume, and the directions given in 
relation to the comma. Indeed it is often the case that correct and 
tasteful reading requires pauses, and those too of a considerable length, 
to be made, where such pauses are indicated in written language by no 
mark whatever. [See Lesson X] 

In like manner it will appear, from an inspection of the latter part of 
rne ninth lesson, that it is not unfrequently the case that the sense will 
allow no pause whatever to be made in cases where, if the marks alone 
were observed, it would seem that a pause of considerable length is 
required. The pupil, therefore, who has been taught to mind his pauses. 
must first be taught to unlearn this direction, and endeavor to understand 
the sentence which he is to read before he attempts to enunciate it. 

The characters employed in written language are the following : 



The Comma, 


) 


The Hyphen, 


- 


The Semicolon, 


5 


The Breve, 


~ 


The Colon, 




The Apostrophe, 


? 


The Period, 
The Dash, 




The Brace, 


i 


The Exclamation, 


T 


The Acute Accent, 


/ 


The Interrogation, 


? 


The Grave Accent, 


\ 


The Quotation Marks, 


u » 


The Circumflex Accent, 


(\ 


The Diaeresis, 




The Caret, 


A 


The Crotchets, 


() 


The Cedilla, 


5 


The Brackets, 


[] 


The Asterisk, 


# 



INTRODUCTION. 9 



The Section, § 

The Paragraph, "ft 



###### 



The Obelisk or Dagger, 

The Double Obelisk or Double 

Dagger, i * The Parallels, 

The Ellipsis, sometimes expressed by Periods, thus, 

" « sometimes by Hyphens, thus, 

" " sometimes by Asterisks or Stars, thus, 

" " sometimes by a Dash prolonged, thus, 

These characters, when judiciously employed, fix the meaning and 
give precision to the signification of sentences, which, in a written form, 
would be ambiguous or indefinite without them. Thus, " I said that he 
is dishonest it is true and I am sorry for it." Now the meaning of this 
sentence can be ascertained only by a correct punctuation. If it be 
punctuated as follows: "I said that he is dishonest, it is true, and I 
am sorry for it ;" the meaning will be, that it is true that I said he was 
dishonest, and I am sorry that I said so. But if it be punctuated thus, 
il I said that he was dishonest ; it is true ; and I am sorry for it ;" the 
meaning will be, I said that he was dishonest; it is true that he was 
dishonest, and I am sorry that he was so. 

Again, the following sentence, as here punctuated, is an innocent re- 
mark : " Believing Richard Brothers to be a prophet sent by God, I have 
painted his portrait." But the sentence as it was originally written by 
its author, with the comma after sent, instead of after God, was a piece 
of horrid profanity. 

A further instance of the importance of correct punctuation was 
afforded by a late advertisement, in which the commissioner for lighting 
one of the most commercial cities of Europe, by the misplacing of a 
comma in his advertisement, would have contracted for the supply of 
but half the required light. The advertisement represented the lamps 
as "4050 in number, having two spouts each, composed of not less than 
twenty threads of cotton." This expression implied that the lamps had 
each two spouts, and that the two spouts had twenty threads, that is, 
each spout had ten threads. But the meaning that the commissioner 
intended to convey was, that each, spout had twenty threads ; and his 
advertisement should have had the comma after " spouts/'' instead of 
after "each," thus: The lamps have two spouts, each composed of 
twenty threads, ccc. 

These instances will suffice to illustrate the nature and the importance 
of correct punctuation. 

But although the meaning of a sentence is thus materially affected by 
the punctuation, it will be seen in the following lessons that the punc- 
tuation alone is an unsafe guide to follow in the enunciation of any 
collection of words. For, in many cases, these marks indicate no pause, 
emphasis, or other remarkable circumstance requiring notice in the enun- 
ciation of the sentence. [See Lesson IX., latter part.] 

The nature of the marks used in written language may also be under 
stood by a reference to the origin of their names. 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

The word Comma is derived from the Greek language, and properly 
designates a segment, section, or part cut off from a complete sentence. 
In its usual acceptation, it signifies the point which marks the smaller 
segments or portions of a period. It therefore represents the shortest 
pause, and consequently marks the least constructive, or most dependent 
parts of a sentence. 

The word colon is from the Greek, and signifies a member, and the 
Latin prefix semi means half. A Semicolon is used for the purpose of 
pointing out those parts of a compound sentence, which, although they 
Rach constitute a distinct proposition, have yet a dependence upon each 
Mher, or on some common clause. 

The Colon is used to divide a sentence into two or more parts, which, 
ilthough the sense be complete in each, are not independent. 

The word Period is derived from the Greek, and means a circuit. 
When the circuit of the sense is completed, with all its relations, the 
mark bearing this name is used to denote this completion. 

The word Interrogation is derived from the Latin, and means a ques 
Hon. 

The word Exclamation is from the same language, and means a pas 
donate utterance. 

The word Parenthesis is derived from the Greek language, and means 
an insertion. A sentence, clause, or phrase, inserted between the parts 
of another sentence for the purpose of explanation, or of calling particu- 
lar attention, is properly called a parenthesis. 

It is to be remarked, however, that the name parenthesis belongs only 
to the sentence inserted between brackets or crotchets, and not to those 
marks themselves. 

The word Hyphen is derived from the Greek language, and signifies 
under one, that is, together ; and is used to imply that the letters or sylla 
bles between which it is placed are to be taken together as one word. 

The hyphen, when placed over a vowel, to indicate the long sound ot 
the vowel, is called the Macron, from the Greek, signifying long. 

The mark called a Breve, indicating the short sound of the vowel, is 
from the Latin, signifying short. 

The word Ellipsis, also from the Greek, means an omission, and prop- 
erly refers to the words, the members, or the sentences which are omitted, 
and not to the marks which indicate the omission. 

The word Apostrophe, also from the Greek, signifies the turning away, 
or the omission of one letter or more.* 

The word Diccresis is also from the Greek, and signifies the taking 
apart, or the separation of the vowels, which would otherwise be pro- 
nounced as one syllable. 

The term Accent is derived from the Latin language, and implies the 
tone of the voice with which a word or syllable is 'to be pronounced. 

* The word Apostrophe, as here used, must not be confounded with the same word as 
the name of a rhetorical figure. 



INTRODUCTION. 11 

The word Section, derived also from the Latin, signifies a cutting, or 
a division. The character which denotes a section seems to be com- 
posed of ss, and to be an abbreviation of the words signum sectionis, or 
the sign of a section. This character, which was formerly used as the 
sign of the division of a discourse, is now rarely used except as a refer- 
ence to a note at the bottom of the page. 

The word Paragraph is derived from the Greek language, and signi- 
fies an ascription in the margin. This mark, like that of the section, 
was formerly used to designate those divisions of a section which are 
now indicated by unfinished lines or blank spaces. This mark, as well 
as the section, is now rarely used except as a reference. 

It may further be remarked, that notes at the bottom of the page, on 
the margin, or at the end of the book, are often indicated by figures, or 
by letters, instead of the marks, which have already been enumerated. 

The word Caret is from the Latin, and signifies it is wanting. This 
mark is used only in manuscript. 

The Cedilla is a mark placed under the letters c and g to indicate the 
soft sound of those letters. 

The Asterisk, Obelisk, Double Obelisk, and Parallels, with the section 
and paragraph, are merely arbitrary marks to call attention to the notes 
at the bottom of the page. 

As these marks which have now been enumerated all have a meaning, 
and are employed for some special purpose, it is recommended to the 
teacher never to allow the pupil to pass by them without being assured 
that he or she understands what that purpose is. Correct and tasteful 
reading can never be attained without a full appreciation of the meaning 
which the author intended to convey ; and that meaning is often to be 
ascertained by the arbitrary marks employed for the purpose of giving 
definiteness to an expression. At the same time the teacher should be 
careful that the pupil shall consider these marks as his guide to the 
meaning only, not to the enunciation, of a sentence. Correct delivery 
must be left to the guidance of taste and judgment only. 

In many excellent selections for lessons in reading, the pieces have 
been arranged in regular order, according to the nature of their respective 
subjects, under the heads of Narrative, Descriptive, Didactic, Argument- 
ative and Pathetic pieces, Public Speeches, Promiscuous pieces, the 
Eloquence of the Bar, of the Pulpit, and of the Forum. 

By Narrative pieces is meant those pieces only which contain a simple 
narration. Descriptive pieces are those in which something is described. 
Didactic pieces are those designed to convey some particular kind of 
instruction, whether moral, religious, or scientific. Argumentative 
pieces are those in which some truth is designed to be proved. Pathetic 
pieces are those by which the feelings of pity, love, admiration and other 
passions, are excited. Promiscuous pieces are those which fall under 
none of the classes which have been enumerated, or consist of a mixture 
of those classes. The Eloquence of the Bar consists of speeches (or 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

pleas, as they are technically called) made by distinguished lawyers in 
the courts of justice in favor of or against a supposed criminal. The 
Eloquence of the Pulpit consists of sermons or discourses delivered on 
religious occasions. The Eloquence of the Forum consists in the 
speeches, addresses, orations, &c, addressed to political or promiscuous 
assemblies. 

To many, this information may seem superfluous or puerile. But as 
this volume is designed for the young and the unlettered, it must not be 
forgotten that their sources of information are few, and that they will 
not always take the pains to inform themselves of the meaning of words, 
even when they are familiar to their eyes in capital letters, and in the 
running titles of the books before them every day. It is often the case, 
that the teacher also, taking for granted that his pupils are familiar with 
the meaning of words so often presented to their eyes, neglects to ques- 
tion them on the subject ; and in riper years it becomes a matter of 
surprise to the pupil himself, that, in early life, words which he had 
heard sounded almost every day at school presented no idea to his mind 
beyond that of an unmeaning, or rather an unintelligible sound. 

The object of all education is not so much to fill the mind with knowl- 
edge as to strengthen its powers, and enlarge its capacity. Those exer- 
cises, therefore, are always most beneficial, in all education, which tend 
most effectually to this result. There is, perhaps, no branch of study 
connected with popular education, which, when properly pursued, 
is more highly subservient to this end than the study of correct 
and tasteful reading, as an art. It necessarily involves a complete 
knowledge of the subject to be read, the relation and dependences of 
the phrases, clauses, and members of the sentences, the proper mean- 
ing of the words employed, and the connection between the sentences 
themselves. This cannot be acquired without a vigorous employment 
of the perceptive powers, aided by those of comparison, of analysis, of 
reasoning, of judgment, of taste, and of discrimination. Subordinate 
and auxiliary to the acquisition of this important art, on the part of the 
pupil, it is here recommended that the teacher should exercise also the 
power of classification, by requiring his pupils, while studying a reading 
lesson, (which, by the way, always should be studied, previous to practis- 
ing it,) to ascertain and to inform his teacher under which of the above 
mentioned classes, whether narrative, descriptive, didactic, &c, the piece 
he is about to read belongs. The teacher who thus employs the faculties 
of his pupils cannot fail to see a vigorous growth of intellect springing 
up under his culture, and will be amply compensated for such mortifica- 
tions as may occasionally arise during formal examinations from the 
treachery of the youthful memory, or the want of a prcper command 
over its stores. 

One of the best selections of reading lessons which has been in use 
in the common schools of this country is that of Mr. Lindley Murray, 
called " The English Reader." Whether estimated by its moral and 



INTRODUCTION. 13 

religious tone, or by the taste and beauty of the selections, it must 
equally command the approbation of all to whom the subject of educa- 
tion is consigned. It is true that the compiler had not learnt the modern 
art of selecting from the productions of editors, members of school com 
mittees, and others, whose vanity might, perhaps, aid the circulation of 
his work, — but he has made ample amends for this kind of neglect, by 
presenting the choicest gems of English literature, selected from the 
brightest stars of that galaxy familiarly known as the British classics. 
His introductory tract, for many of the observations in which he has 
acknowledged his indebtedness to Dr. Blair and to the Encyclopedia 
Britannica, contains so much valuable instruction on the art of reading, 
that the author of this work is persuaded that he cannot render better 
service than by presenting it entire. Many of the suggestions, it will be 
seen, are followed out in the introductory lessons in this volume 5 but as 
all information becomes the better fixed by repetition, such repetition will, 
to say the least, be pardonable, even though it maybe deemed superfluous. 

"OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRINCIPLES OF GOOD READING 

"To read with propriety is a pleasing and important attainment, 
productive of improvement both to the understanding and the heart. It 
is essential to a complete reader, that he minutely perceive the ideas, 
and enter into the feelings of the author, whose sentiments he professes 
to repeat : for how is it possible to represent clearly to others, what we 
have but faint or inaccurate conception of ourselves ? If there were no 
other benefits resulting from the art of reading well, than the necessity 
it lays us under of precisely ascertaining the meaning of what we read, 
and the habit thence acquired of doing this with facility, both when 
reading silently and aloud, they would constitute a sufficient compensa- 
tion for all the labor we can bestow upon the subject. But the pleasure 
derived to ourselves and others from a clear communication of ideas 
and feelings, and the strong and durable impressions made thereby on 
the minds of the reader and the audience, are considerations T.'hich give 
additional importance to the study of this necessary and useful art. 
The perfect attainment of it doubtless requires great attention and prac- 
tice, joined to extraordinary natural powers; but as there are many 
degrees of excellence in the art, the student whose aims fall short of 
perfection will find himself amply rewarded for every exertion he may 
think proper to make. 

" To give rules for the management of the voice in reading, by which 
the necessary pauses, emphasis, and tones, may be discovered and put 
in practice, is not possible. After all the directions that can be offered 
on these points, much will remain to be taught by the living instructor : 
much will be attainable by no other means than the force of example, 
influencing the imitative powers of the learner. Some rules and princi- 
ples on these heads will, however, be found useful, to prevent erroneous 
and vicious modes of utterance ; to give the young reader some taste 
for the subject ; and to assist him in acquiring a just and accurate mode 
of delivery. The observations which we have to make, for these pur- 
poses, may be comprised under the following heads : Proper Loudness 
of Voice; Distinctness ; Slowness ; Propriety of 'Pronunciation ; Emphasis; 
Tones ; Pauses ; and Mode of Reading Verse. 
2 



14 INTRODUCTION. 

"proper loudness of voice. 

* The first attention of every person who reads to others, doubtless, 
must be to make himself heard by all those to whom he reads. He 
must endeavor to fill with his voice the space occupied by the company. 
This power of voice, it may be thought, is wholly a natural talent. It 
is, in a good measure, the gift of nature ; but it may receive considerable 
assistance from art. Much depends, for this purpose, on the proper pitch 
and management of the voice. Every person has three pitches in his 
voice ; the high, the middle, and the low one. The high is that which 
he uses in calling aloud to some person at a distance. The low is when 
he approaches to a whisper. The middle is that which he employs in 
common conversation, and which he should generally use in reading to 
others. For it is a great mistake, to imagine that one must take the 
highest pitch of his voice, in order to be well heard in a large company. 
This is confounding two things which are different — loudness or strength 
of sound, with the key or note in which we speak. There is a, variety 
of sound within the compass of each key. A speaker may, therefore, 
render his voice louder, without altering the key ; and we shall always 
be able to give most body, most persevering force of sound, to that pitch 
of voice to which in conversation we are accustomed. Whereas by 
setting out on our highest pitch or key, we certainly allow ourselves less 
compass, and are likely to strain our voice before we have done. We 
shall fatigue ourselves, and read with pain ; and whenever a person 
speaks with pain to himself, he is always heard with pain by his 
audience. Let us, therefore, give the voice full strength and swell of 
sound ; but always pitch it on our ordinary speaking key. It should be 
a constant rule never to utter a greater quantity of voice than we can 
afford without pain to ourselves, and without any extraordinary effort. 
As long as w r e keep within these bounds, the other organs of speech will 
be at liberty to discharge their several offices with ease ; and we shall 
always have our voice under command. But whenever we transgress 
these bounds, we give up the reins, and have no longer any manage- 
ment of it. It is a useful rule too, in order to be well heard, to cast our 
eye on some of the most distant persons in the company, and to con- 
sider ourselves as reading to them. We naturally and mechanically 
utter our words with such a degree of strength as to make ourselves be 
heard by the person whom w T e address, provided he is within the reach 
of our voice. As this is the case in conversation, it will hold also in 
reading to others. But let us remember, that in reading, as well as in 
conversation, it is possible to offend by speaking too loud. This extreme 
hurts the ear, by making the voice come upon it in rumbling, indistinct 
masses. 

"By the habit of reading, when young, in a loud and vehement man- 
ner, the voice becomes fixed in a strained and unnatural key ; and is 
rendered incapable of that variety of elevation and depression w r hich 
constitutes the true harmony of utterance, and affords ease to the reader, 
and pleasure to the audience. This unnatural pitch of the voice, and 
disagreeable monotony, are most observable m persons who w r ere taught 
to read in large rooms ; w r ho w r ere accustomed to stand at too great a 
distance, when reading to their teachers ; whose instructors were very 
imperfect in their hearing ; or w 7 ho were taught by persons who con- 
sidered loud expression as the chief requisite in forming a good reader. 
These are circumstances which demand the serious attention of every 
one to whom the education of youth is committed. 



INTRODUCTION. 



* DISTINCTNESS. 



15 



* n t±e next place, to being -well heard and clearly understood, dis- 
hnctntaJ of am- ulation contributes more than mere loudness of sound. 
The quantity oi sound necessary to fill even a large space is smaller 
than is commonly imagined; and, with distinct articulation, a person 
with a weak voice will make it reach further than the strongest voice 
can reach without it. To this, therefore, every reader ought to pay great 
attention. He must give every sound which he utters its due propor- 
tion ; and make every syllable, and even every letter, in the word which 
he pronounces, be heard distinctly : without slurring, whispering, or 
suppressing, any of the proper sounds. 

(< An accurate knowledge of the simple, elementary sounds of the lan- 
guage, and a facility in expressing them, are so necessary to distinctness 
of expression, that if the learners attainments are, in this respect, im- 
perfect, (and many there are in this situation.) it will be incumbent on 
his teacher to carry him back to these primary articulations ; and to 
suspend his progress till he become perfectly master of them. It will 
be in vain to press him forward, with the hope of forming a good reader, 
if he cannot completely articulate every elementary sound of the lan- 
guage. 

"due degree of slowness. 

"In order to express ourselves distinctly, moderation is requisite with 
regard to the speed of pronouncing. Precipitancy of speech confounds 
all articulation, and all meaning. It is scarcely necessary to observe, 
that there may be also an extreme on the opposite side. It is obvious 
that a lifeless, drawling manner of reading, which allows the minds of 
the hearers to be always outrunning the speaker, must render every 
such performance insipid and fatiguing. But the extreme of reading 
too fast is much more common ; and requires the more to be guarded 
against, because, wruen it has grown into a habit, few errors are more 
difficult to be corrected. To pronounce with a proper degree of slow- 
ness, and with full and clear articulation, is necessary to be studied by 
all, who wish to become good readers ; and it cannot be too much 
recommended to them. Such a pronunciation gives weight and dignity 
to the subject. It is a great assistance to the voice, by the pauses and 
rests which it allows the reader more easily to make : and it enables the 
reader to swell all his sounds, both with more force and more harmony. 

"propriety of pronunciation. 

" After the fundamental attentions to the pitch and management of 
the voice, to distinct articulation, and to a proper degree of slowness of 
speech, what the young reader must, in the next place, study, is pro- 
priety of pronunciation ; or, giving to ever" word which he utters that 
sound which the best usage of the languagt .appropriates to it ; in oppo- 
sition to broad, vulgar, or provincial pronunciation. This is requisite 
both for reading intelligibly, and for reading with correctness and ease. 
Instructions concerning this article may be best given by the living 
teacher. But there is one observation, which it may not be improper 
here to make. In the English language, every word which consists of 
more syllables than one has one accented syllable. The accents rest 
sometimes on the vowel, sometimes on the consonant. The genius of 
the language requires the voice to mark that syllable by a stronger 
percussion, and to pass more slightly over the rest. Now, after we have 



16 INTRODUCTION. 

learned the proper seats of these accents, it is an important rule, tc 
give every word just the same accent in reading as in common dis- 
course. Many persons err in this respect. When they read to others 
and with solemnity, they pronounce the syllables in a different manner 
from what they do at other times. They dwell upon them and protract 
them ; they multiply accents on the same word, from a mistaken notion, 
that it gives gravity and importance to their subject, and adds to the 
energy of their delivery . Whereas this is one of the greatest faults that 
can be committed in pronunciation : it makes what is called a pompous 
or mouthing manner, and gives an artificial, affected air to reading, which 
detracts greatly both from its agreeableness and its impression. 

" Sheridan and Walker have published dictionaries for ascertaining 
the true . and best pronunciation of the words of our language. By 
attentively consulting them, particularly l Walkers Pronouncing Dic- 
tionary,' the young reader will be much assisted in his endeavors to 
attain a correct pronunciation of the words belonging to the English 
language.* 

"EMPHASIS. 

"By emphasis is meant a stronger and fuller sound of voice, by 
which we distinguish some word, or words, on which we design to lay 
particular stress, and to show how they affect the rest of the sentence. 
Sometimes the emphatic words must be distinguished by a particular 
tone of voice, as well as by a particular stress. On the right manage- 
ment of the emphasis depends the life of pronunciation. If no emphasis 
be placed on any words, not only is discourse rendered heavy and life- 
less, but the meaning is often left ambiguous. If the emphasis be 
placed wrong, we pervert and confound the meaning wholly. 

" Emphasis may be divided into the Superior and the Inferior emphasis . 
The superior emphasis determines the meaning of a sentence, with refer- 
ence to something said before, presupposed by the author as genera* 
knowledge, or removes an ambiguity, where a passage may have more 
senses than one. The inferior emphasis enforces, graces, and enlivens. 
but does not/.r, the meaning of any passage. The words to which this 
latter emphasis is given are, in general, such as seem the most import- 
ant in the sentence, or, on other accounts, to merit this distinction. The 
following passage will serve to exemplify the superior emphasis. 

' Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit 
Of that forbidden tree, whose mortal taste 
Brought death into the world, and all our woe,' &c. 

' Sing, heavenly Muse ! ' 

" Supposing that originally other beings besides men had disobeyed 
the commands of the Almighty, and that the circumstance were well 
known to us, there would fall an emphasis upon the word marts in the 
first line ; and hence it would read thus : 

' Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit, 1 &c. 

" But if it were a notorious truth, that mankind had transgressed in 

* This remark must now be received, in this country at least, with some qualifica- 
tion. Mr. Walker has lost the confidence which is established by usage, and we have 
no work which professes to supply his place, so far as pronunciation alone is concerned. 
As a guide to the signification of words, and the tracing of their etymology, the Dic- 
tionary of Dr. Webster is of the highest authority, and has received the approbation of 
critics in the mother country, as well as in this. Dr. Webster has spent a long life in 
the investigation of authorities, and probably no one individual has labored longer or 
with equal success in this department of literature 



INTRODUCTION. 17 

a peculiar manner more than once, the emphasis would fall on first ; 
and the line be read, 

{ Of man's first disobedience,' &c. 

"Again, admitting death (as was really the case) to have been an 
unheard-of and dreadful punishment, brought upon man in consequence 
of his transgression ; on that supposition, the third line would be read, 

1 Brought death into the world,' &c. 

" But if we were to suppose that mankind knew there was such an evil 
as death in other regions, though the place they inhabited had been free 
from it till their transgression, the line would run thus : 

1 Brought death into the xoorld,' &c. 

"The superior emphasis finds place in the following short sentence, 
which admits of four distinct meanings, each of which is ascertained by 
the emphasis only. 

{ Do you ride to town to-day ? ' 

[See Lesson XXIL] 

11 The following examples illustrate the nature and use of the inferior 
emphasis : 

" t Many persons mistake the love, for the practice of virtue.' 

" l Shall I reward his services with Falsehood ? Shall I forget him who 
cannot forget meV 

" l If his principles are false, no apology from himself can make them 
right; if founded in truth, no censure from others can make them 
wrong. 1 

" c Though deep, yet clear; though gentle, yet not dull; 
Strong- without rage; without overflowing, full.' 

11 1 A friend exaggerates a man's virtues ; an enemy, his crimes.'' 

" f The wise man is happy when 'he gains his own approbation ; the 
fool, when he gains that of others? * 

" The superior emphasis, in reading as in speaking, must be deter- 
mined entirely by the sense of the passage, and always made alike ; but 
as to the inferior emphasis, taste alone seems to have the right of fixing 
its situation and quantity. 

" Among the number of persons who have had proper opportunities 
of learning to read, in the best manner it is now taught, very few could 
be selected, who, in a given instance, would use the inferior emphasis 
alike, either as to place or quantity. Some persons, indeed, use scarcely 
any degree of it ; and others do not scruple to carry it far beyond any- 
thing to be found in common discourse; and even sometimes throw it 
upon words so very trifling in themselves, that it is evidently done with 
no other view than to give a greater variety to the modulation.* Not- 
withstanding this diversity of practice, there are certainly proper bounda- 
ries, within which this emphasis must be restrained, in order to make it 
meef the approbation of sound judgment and correct taste. It will, 
doubtless, have different degrees of exertion, according to the greater or 

* By modulation is meant, that pleasing variety of voice which is perceived in utter- 
ing a sentence, and which in its nature is perfectly distinct from emphasis, and the 
tones of emotion and passion. The young reader should be careful to render his modu- 
lation correct and easy ; and, for this purpose, should form it upon the model of the most 
judicious and accurate speakers. 

2* 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

less degree of importance of the words upon which it operates ; and 
there may be very properly some variety in the use of it : but its appli 
cation is not arbitrary, depending on the caprice of readers. 

" As emphasis often* falls on words in different parts of the same sen. 
tence, so it is frequently required to be continued, with a little variation, 
on two, and sometimes more words together. The following sentences 
exemplify both the parts of this position: 'If you seek to make one 
rich, study not to increase his stores, but to diminish his desires.' 'The 
Mexican figures, or picture-writing, represent things, not words : they 
exhibit images to the eye, not ideas to the understanding." 

" Some sentences are so full and comprehensive, that almost every 
word is emphatical : as, ' Ye hills and dales, ye rivers, woods, and 
plains ! ' or, as that pathetic expostulation in the prophecy of Ezekiel, 
< Why will ye die ! ' 

"Emphasis, besides its other offices, is the great regulator of quantity. 
Though the quantity of our syllables is fixed, in words separately pro- 
nounced, yet it is mutable when these words are arranged in sentences ; 
the long being changed into short, the short into, long, according to the 
importance of the word with regard to meaning. Emphasis also, in 
particular cases, alters the seat of the accent. This is demonstrable 
from the following examples. 'He shall increase, but I shall decrease.' 
' There is a difference between giving and forgiving.' ' In this species 
of composition, plausibility is much more essential than probability.' 
In these examples, the emphasis requires the accent to be placed on 
syllables to which it does not commonly belong. 

"In order to acquire the proper management of the emphasis, the 
great rule to be given is, that the reader study to attain a just conception 
of the force and spirit of the sentiments which he is to pronounce. For 
to lay the emphasis with exact propriety is a constant exercise of good 
sense and attention. It is far from being an inconsiderable attainment. 
It is one of the most decisive trials of a true and just taste; and must 
arise from feeling delicately ourselves, and from judging accurately of 
what is fittest to strike the feelings of others. 

" There is one error, against which it is particularly proper to caution 
the learner ; namely, that of multiplying emphatical words too much, 
and using the emphasis indiscriminately. It is only by a prudent 
reserve and distinction in the use of them, that we can give them any 
weight. If they recur too often ; if a reader attempts to render every 
thing he expresses of high importance, by a multitude of strong em 
phases, we soon learn to pay little regard to them. To crowd every 
sentence with emphatical words, is like crowding all the pages of a book 
with Italic characters ; which, as to the effect, is just the same as to use 
no such distinctions at all. 



" Tones are different both from emphasis and pauses ; consisting in 
the notes or variations of sound which we employ in the expression of 
our sentiments. Emphasis affects particular words and phrases, with a 
degree of tone or inflection of voice ; but tones, peculiarly so called, 
affect sentences, paragraphs, and sometimes even the whole of a dis- 
course. 

" To show the use and necessity of tones, we need only observe, that 
the mind, in communicating its ideas, is in a constant state of activity, 
emotion, or agitation, from the different effects which those ideas pro- 



INTRODUCTION. 19 

duce in the speaker. Now the end of such communication being not 
merely to lay open the ideas, but also the different feelings which they 
excite in him that utters them, there must be other signs than words to 
manifest those feelings ; as words uttered in a monotonous manner can 
represent only a similar state of mind, perfectly free from all activity 
and emotion. As the communication of these internal feelings was of 
much more consequence in our social intercourse than the mere con- 
veyance of ideas, the Author of our being did not, as in that convey- 
ance, leave the invention of the language of emotion to man, but 
impressed it himself upon our nature, in the same manner as he has 
done with regard to the rest of the animal world ; all of which express 
their feelings by various tones. Ours, indeed, from the superior rank 
that we hold, are in a high degree more comprehensive ; as there is not 
an act of the mind, an exertion of the fancy, or an emotion of the heart, 
which has not its peculiar tone or note of the voice, by which it is to be 
expressed ; and which is suited exactly to the degree of internal feeling. 
It is -chiefly in the proper use of these tones, that the life, spirit, beauty, 
and harmony of delivery consist. 

" The limits of this introduction do not admit of examples to illustrate 
the variety of tones belonging to the different passions and emotions. 
We shall, however, select one, which is extracted from the beautiful 
lamentation of David over Saul and Jonathan ; and which will in some 
degree elucidate what has been said on this subject. 

" l The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places ; how are the 
mighty fallen ; Tell it not in G-ath ; publish it not in the streets of 
Askelon ; lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice ; lest the daugh- 
ters of the uncircumcised triumph. Ye mountains of Gilboa, let there 
be no dew nor rain upon you, nor fields of offerings ; for there the shield 
of the mighty was vilely cast away ; the shield of Saul, as though he 
had not been anointed with oil.' The first of these divisions expresses 
sorrow and lamentation ; therefore the note is low. The next contains 
a spirited command, and should be pronounced much higher. The other 
sentence, in which he makes a pathetic address to the mountains where 
his friends had been slain, must be expressed in a note quite different 
from the two former ; not so low as the first, nor so high as the second, 
but in a manly, firm, yet plaintive tone. 

"The correct and natural language of the emotions is not so difficult 
to be attained as most readers seem to imagine. If we enter into the 
spirit of the author's sentiments, as well as into the meaning of his 
words, we shall not fail to deliver the words in properly varied tones. 
For there are few people who speak English without a provincial note, 
that have not an accurate use of tones, when they utter their sentiments 
in earnest discourse. And the reason that they have not the same use 
of them in reading aloud the sentiments of others may be traced to the 
very defective and erroneous method in which the art of reading is 
taught ; whereby all the various, natural, expressive tones of speech are 
suppressed, and a few artificial, unmeaning reading notes are substi- 
tuted for them. 

" But when we recommend to readers an attention to the tone and 
language of emotions, we must be understood to do it with proper lim- 
itation. Moderation is necessary in this point, as in other things. For 
when the reading becomes strictly imitative, it assumes a theatrical 
manner, and must be highly improper, as well as give offense to the 
hearers, because it is inconsistent with that delicacy and modesty which 



20 INTRODUCTION. 

are indispensable on such occasions. The speaker who delivers his own 
emotions must be supposed to be more vivid and animated than would 
be proper in the person who relates them at second hand. 

" We shall conclude this section with the following rule for the tones 
that indicate the passions and emotions: 'In reading, let all your tones 
of expression be borrowed from those of common speech, but, in some 
degree, more faintly characterized. Let those tones which signify any 
disagreeable passion of the mind be still more faint than those which 
indicate agreeable emotions : and on all occasions preserve yourselves 
from being so far affected with the subject as to be unable to proceed 
through it with that easy and masterly manner which has its good 
effects in this, as well as in every other art.' 

"pauses. 

" Pauses or rests, in reading or speaking, are a total cessation of the 
voice, during a perceptible, and, in many cases, a measurable space of 
time. Pauses are equally necessary to the speaker and the hearer. To 
the speaker, that he may take breath, without which he cannot proceed 
far in delivery ; and that he may, by these temporary rests, relieve the 
organs of speech, which otherwise would be soon tired by continued 
action ; to the hearer, that the ear also may be relieved from the fatigue 
which it would otherwise endure from a continuity of sound ; and that 
the understanding may have sufficient time to mark the distinction of 
sentences, and their several members. 

" There are two kinds of pauses : first, emphatical pauses ; and next, 
such as mark the distinctions of sense. An emphatical pause is gener- 
ally made after something has been said of peculiar moment, and on 
which we desire to fix the hearer's attention. Sometimes, before such a 
thing is said, we usher it in with a pause of this nature. Such pauses 
have the same effect as a strong emphasis ; and are subject to the same 
rules, especially to the caution of not repeating them too frequently 
For as they excite uncommon attention, and of course raise expectation, 
if the importance of the matter be not fully answerable to such expect- 
ation, they occasion disappointment and disgust. 

" But the most frequent and principal use of pauses is to mark the 
divisions of the sense, and at the same time to allow the reader to draw 
his breath ; and the proper and delicate adjustment of such pauses is 
one of the most nice and difficult articles of delivery. In all reading, 
the management of the breath requires a good deal of care ; so as not to 
oblige us to divide words from one another, which have so intimate a 
connection that they ought to be pronounced with the same breath, and 
without the least separation. Many a sentence is miserably mangled, 
and the force of the emphasis totally lost, by divisions being made in the 
wrong place. To avoid this, every one, while he is reading, should be 
very careful to provide a full supply of breath for what he is to utter. 
It is a great mistake to imagine that the breath must be drawn only at 
the end of a period, when the voice is allowed to fall. It may easily be 
gathered at the intervals of the period, when the voice is suspended only 
for a moment ; and, by this management, one may always have a suffi- 
cient stock for carrying on the longest sentence, without improper inter- 
ruptions. 

" Pauses in reading must generally be formed upon the manner in 
which we utter ourselves in ordinary, sensible conversation, and not 
upon the stiff, artificial manner which is acquired from reading books 



INTRODUCTION. 21 



according to the common punctuation. It will by no means be sufficient 
to attend to the points used in printing, for these are far from marking 
all the pauses which ought to be made in reading. A mechanical atten- 
tion to these resting places has perhaps been one cause of monotony, by 
leading the reader to a similar tone at every stop, and a uniform cadence 
at every period. The primary use of points is to assist the reader in 
discerning the grammatical construction ; and it is only as a secondary 
object that they regulate his pronunciation. On this head the following 
direction may be of use : ' Though in reading great attention should be 
paid to the stops, yet a greater .should be given to the sense, and their 
correspondent times occasionally lengthened beyond what is usual in 
common speech.' 

" To render pauses pleasing and expressive, they must not only be 
made in the right place, but also accompanied with a proper tone of 
voice, by which the nature of these pauses is intimated ; much more 
than by the length of them, which can seldom be exactly measured. 
Sometimes it is only a slight and simple suspension of voice that is 
proper ; sometimes a degree of cadence in the voice is required ; and 
sometimes that peculiar tone and cadence which denote the sentence to 
be finished. In all these cases, we are to regulate ourselves by attend- 
ing to the manner in which nature teaches us to speak when engaged in 
real and earnest discourse with others. The following sentence exem- 
plifies the suspending and the closing pauses : c Hope, the balm of life, 
soothes us under every misfortune. '~ The first and second pauses are 
accompanied by an inflection of voice, that gives the hearer an expecta- 
tion of something further to complete the sense 5 the inflection attending 
the third pause signifies that the sense is completed. 

" The preceding example is an illustration of the suspending pause, in 
its simple state : the following instance exhibits that pause with a degree 
of cadence in the voice ; ' If content cannot remove the disquietudes of 
mankind, it will at least alleviate them. 5 

" The suspending pause is often, in the same sentence, attended with 
both the rising and the falling inflection of voice j as will be seen in this 
example: 'Moderate exercise\ and habitual temperance', strengthen 
the constitution.' * 

" As the suspending pause may be thus attended with both the rising 
and the falling inflection, it is the same with regard to the closing pause : 
it admits of both. The falling inflection generally accompanies it ; but 
it is not unfrequently connected with the rising inflection. Interrogative 
sentences, for instance, are often terminated in this manner : as, 'Am I 
ungrateful' ? ' l Is he in earnest' ? ' 

" But where a sentence is begun by an interrogative pronoun or ad- 
verb, it is commonly terminated by the falling inflection : as, < What has 
he gained by his folly x ? ' < Who will assist him v ? ' ' Where is the mes- 
senger ? ' i When did he arrive N ? ' 

" When two questions are united in one sentence, and connected by 
the conjunction or, the first takes the rising, the second the falling in- 
flection : as, • Does his conduct support discipline' or destroy it N ? ' 

••'The tising and falling inflections must not be confounded with 
emphasis. Though they may often coincide, they are, in their nature, 
perfectly distinct. Emphasis sometimes controls those inflections. 

" The regular application of the rising and falling inflections confers 

* The rising inflection is denoted by the acute, the falling by the grave, accent. 



22 INTRODUCTION. 

so much beauty on expression, and is so necessary to be studied by 
the young reader, that we shall insert a few more examples, to induce 
him to pay greater attention to the subject. Tn these instances, all 
the inflections are not marked. Such only are distinguished as are 
most striking, and will best serve to show the reader their utility and 
importance. 

" ' Manufactures*, trade*, and agriculture', certainly employ more than 
nineteen parts in twenty of the human species.' 

"'He who resigns the world has no temptation to envy 7 , hatred*, 
malice*, anger'; but is in constant possession of a serene mind: he 
who follows the pleasures of it, which are in their very nature dis- 
appointing, is in constant search of care*, solicitude', remorse', and con- 
fusion V 

" c To advise the ignorant, relieve the needy*, comfort the afflicted', 
are duties that fall in our way almost every day of our lives.' 

" < Those evil spirits, who, by long custom, have contracted in the body 
habits of lust' and sensuality*; malice' and revenge*; an aversion to 
everything that is good*, just* and laudable', are naturally seasoned and 
prepared for pain and misery.' 

" ' I am persuaded, that neither death', nor life* j nor angels', nor 
principalities', nor powers*; nor things present', nor things to come*; nor 
height', nor depth* ; nor any other creature 7 , shall be able to separate us 
from the love of GodV 

" The reader who would wish to see a minute and ingenious investi- 
gation of the nature, of these inflections, and the rules by which they 
are governed, may consult Walker's Elements of Elocution. 

"MANNER OF READING VERSE. 

"When we are reading verse, there is a peculiar difficulty in making 
the pauses justly. The difficulty arises from the melody of verse, which 
dictates to the ear pauses or rests of its own ; and to adjust and com- 
pound these properly with the pauses of the sense, so as neither to hurt 
the ear nor offend the understanding, is so very nice a matter, that it is 
no wonder we so seldom meet with good readers of poetry. There are 
two kinds of pauses that belong to the melody of verse : one is the pause 
at the end of the line ; and the other, the csesural pause in or near the 
middle of it. With regard to the pause at the end of the line, which 
marks that strain or verse to be finished, rhyme renders this always sen- 
sible, and in some measure compels us to observe it in our pronuncia- 
tion. In respect to blank verse, we ought also to read it so as to make 
every line sensible to the ear.; for, what is the use of melody, or for what 
end has the poet composed in verse, if, in reading his lines, we suppress 
his numbers, by omitting the final pause ; and degrade them, by our 
pronunciation, into mere prose ? At the same time that we attend to 
this pause, every appearance of sing-song and tone must be carefully 
guarded against. The close of the line, where it makes no pause in 
the meaning, ought not to be marked by such a tone as is used in 
finishing a sentence ; but, without either fall or elevation of the voice, 
it should be denoted only by so slight a suspension of sound as may 
distinguish the passage from one line to another, without injuring the 
meaning. " 

" The other kind of melodious pause is that which falls somewhere 
about the middle of the verse, and divides if into two hemistichs ; a 
pause not so great as that which belongs to the close of the line, but 



INTRODUCTION. 23 

• 

still sensible to an ordinary ear. This, which is called the caesural 
pause, may fall, in English heroic verse, after the fourth, fifth, sixth, or 
seventh, syllable in the line. Where the verse is so constructed that 
this caesural pause coincides with the slightest pause or division in the 
sense, the line can be read easily j as in the two first verses of Pope's 
Messiah : ^ 

' Ye nymphs of Solyma v> ! begin the song ; 
To heavenly themes VN sublimer strains belong. 5 

But if it should happen that words which have so strict and intimate a 
connection as not to bear even a momentary separation are divided from 
one another by this caesural pause, we then feel a sort of struggle between 
the sense and the sound, which renders it difficult to read such lines 
harmoniously. The rule of proper pronunciation in such cases is, to 
regard only the pause which the sense forms, and to read the line 
accordingly. The neglect of the cassural pause may make the line 
sound somewhat unharmoniously ; but the effect would be much worse, 
if the sense were sacrificed to the sound. For instance, in the following 
lines of Milton, 

' What in me is dark, 



Illumine ; what is low, raise and support, 5 

the sense clearly dictates the pause after illumine, at the end of the third 
syllable, which, in reading, ought to be made accordingly ; though, if 
the melody only were to be regarded, illumine should be connected with 
what follows, and the pause not made till the fourth or sixth syllable. 
So in the following line of Pope's Epistle to Dr. Arbuthnot, 

1 I sit, with sad civility I read, 5 

the ear plainly points out the csesural pause as falling after sad, the iourtn 
syllable. But it would be very bad reading to make any pause there, 
so as to separate sad and civility. The sense admits of no other pause 
than after the second syllable, sit, which therefore must be the only pause 
made in reading this part of the sentence. 

" There is another mode of dividing some verses, by introducing what 
may be called demi-csesuras, which require very slight pauses ; and 
which the reader should manage with judgment, or he will be apt to fall 
into an affected, sing-song mode of pronouncing verses of this kind. The 
following lines exemplify the derni-csesura. 

'Warms' in the sun", refreshes' in the breeze, 
Glows' in the stars", and blossoms' in the trees : 
Lives' through all life"; extends through all extent, 
Spreads' undivided", operates' unspent. 5 

" Before the conclusion of this introduction, the compiler takes the 
liberty to recommend to teachers to exercise their pupils in discovering 
and explaining the emphatic words, and the proper tones and pauses, 
of every portion assigned them to read, previously to their being called 
out to the performance. These preparatory lessons, in which they should 
be regularly examined, will improve their judgment and taste, prevent 
the practice of reading without attention to the subject, and establish a 
habit of readily discovering the meaning, force, and beauty, of every 
sentence they peruse." 



24 INTRODUCTION." 

To the directions of Mr. Murray which have now been recited, the 
author of this work has little to add, except the suggestions which are 
given in the respective lessons which follow. One direction more, how 
ever, he will add, which is partly expressed in borrowed language • 

" Learn to speak slow ; all other graces 
Will follow in their proper places ;" 
And while thus slowly onward you proceed, 
Study the meaning of whate'er you read. 



CONTENTS. 

INTRODUCTORY LESSONS IN READING. 



Lesson Page 

1 . The Period 25 

l ; . The Interrogation Point or Question 26 

3. " " " continued 27 

4. " " " 27 

5. " •• " " 28 

6. t; " " " 29 

7. The Exclamation Point 30 

8. The Period, Interrogation, and Exclamation united 31 

9. The Comma 32 

10. " continued 36 

11. The Semicolon ; 39 

12. " continued 40 

13. " " 42 

14. The Colon 44 

15. " continued 46 

16. The Parenthesis, Crotchets, and Brackets 48 

17. The Dash 51 

18. The Hyphen. 60 

19. The Ellipsis 60 

20. The Apostrophe, Quotation, and Diaeresis G3 

21. The Asterisk, Obelisk, Double Obelisk, Section, Parallels, Para- 

graph, Index, Caret, Breve, and Brace 66 

22. Accent 68 

23. Emphasis . . 73 

24. Primary and Secondary Emphasis 75 

25. Distinctness of Articulation , 79 

26. Manner or Expression 86 

27. Pitch of the Voice 94 

28. Transition 96 

29. Elliptical Sentences 99 

30. Antithesis 103 

31. Enumeration 105 

32. Irony 109 

83. Analogy 110 

84. The Star 118 

85. Measure of Speech 119 

86. Manner of Beading Poetry . . - ♦ 136 

37. Monotone 141 

88. Analysis. 144 

89. Blending of Words, produced by Accented Force 151 

40. Improvement of the Voice 152 



PARKER'S 

INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

IN 

READING. 



LESSON I. 

THE PERIOD. 

The Period is a round dot or mark like this . 

2. The period is generally placed after the last word in a 
sentence, 

3. When you come to a period, you must stop, as if you 
had nothing more to read. 

4. You must pronounce the word which is immediately 
before a period, with the falling inflection of the voice. 

5. But you do not know what I mean by the falling in- 
flection of the voice. 

6. I am now going to tell you. 

7. Listen attentively to what I am going to say. 

8. Charles has bought a new hat. 

9. That sentence was read with the falling inflection of 
the voice. 

10. I am going to tell you in the next lesson what I mean 
by the rising inflection of the voice. 

11. Look in the next lesson, and find the eighth sentence, 
which you have just read. 

12. Tell me whether you would read it in the same man- 
ner in the second lesson. 

3 



26 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

LESSON II. 

THE INTERROGATION POINT, OR QUESTION. 

The Interrogation Point, or Question, is a mark like 
this ? 

The interrogation point, or question, shows that a 
question is asked, and is generally read with the rising 
; iiflection of the voice. 

EXAMPLES. 

13. Has Charles bought a new hat? 

14. Did you say that Charles has bought a new hat? 

15. Did you read the thirteenth sentence in the same 
manner that you read the eighth? 

16. Do you know what I mean by the rising inflection of 
the voice ? 

17. Do you know now how to read a sentence with the 
falling inflection of the voice ? 

18. Shall I tell you again? Will you listen attentively? 

19. Are the little marks after the sentences in the first 
lesson, like those at the end of the sentences in this lesson ? 

20. Do you know that you have read all the sentences in 
this lesson with the rising inflection of the voice? 

21. Will you look at the following sentences, and read 
uiose which are marked D, with the falling inflection of the 
voice, and those which are marked Q,, with the rising in- 
flection of the voice? 

22. D. John has arrived. 
Has John arrived? 
My father is very well. 
Is your mother well ? 
Mary has lost her book. 
Has Caroline found her work-box ? 
They who have not read these sentences well 

must read them over again. 

29, Q,. May they who have read them well proceed to 
the next lesson ? 

30, D. As soon as they understand what they have read, 
] shall give them a new lesson. 

31, d. Will they all be as easy as this? 



23. 


Q. 


24. 


D. 


25. 


Q. 


26. 


D. 


27. 


a. 


28. 


D. 



IN READING. 27 

32. D. That will depend upon yourself more than 
on me. 

33. Q. Does the D in the above sentences stand for a 
declaration? 

34. D. Yes. I think, also, that the d stands for a 
question. 



LESSON III. 

Sometimes the sentence which ends with an 
point, should be read with the falling inflection of the voice. 

EXAMPLES. 

35. What o'clock is it ? 

36. How do you do to-day ? 

37. What have you in your hand ? 

38. Where have you been ? 

39. When did your father return home? 

40. How did you hear that story ? 

41. How much did he give for his book? 

42. Whose hat is that in the entry ? 

43. What did you see in the street ? 

44. How high is the steeple of St. Paul's Church ? 

45. Where does that man live? 

46. Which of those books do you prefer ? 

47. Who is that at the other end of the room ? 

48. Whither is that bird flying? 

49. Why did you leave your place just now? 

50. Wherefore do you not try to read correctly ? 



LESSON IV. 

Sometimes the first part of a sentence ending with an 
interrogation point, must be read with the rising inflection 
of the voice, and the last part with the falling inflection. 
The parts of the sentence are separated by a mark like 
this ( , ) called a comma. At the comma the rising inflec- 



28 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



tion must be used, and at the interrogation point the falling 
inflection. 

EXAMPLES. 

51. Shall I give you a peach, or an apple ? 

52. Would you rather have a kite, or a football? 

53. Is that John, or Charles ? 

54. Are you going home, or into the school-house ? 

55. Will you go now, or will you stay a little longer ? 

56. Is that a Grammar, or a Geography ? 

57. Do you expect to ride, or to walk ? 

58. Does your father intend to build his new house in 
the city, or in the country ? 

59. Shall we now attend to our reading lessons, or to our 
lessons in spelling ? 

60. Did you go to church on the last Sabbath, or did you 
stay at home ? 



LESSON V. 

Sometimes the first part of a sentence ending with a 
note of interrogation, must be read with the falling inflec- 
tion of the voice, and the last part with the rising inflec- 
tion. 

EXAMPLES. 

61. Where have you been to-day? At home ? 

62. Whose books are those on the floor ? Do they be- 
long to John ? 

63. Whither shall I go ? Shall I return home ? 

64. What is that on the top of the house ? Is it a bird ? 

65. What are you doing with your book ? Are you tear- 
ing out the leaves ? 

66. Whom shall I send? Will John go willingly ? 

67. When shall I bring you those books ? Would you 
like to have them to-day ? 

68. Who told you to return ? Did your father ? 

69. How much did you pay for that book ? More than 
three shillings ? 

70. How old shall you be on your next birthday? 
Eleven ? 



IN READING. 29 

71. Why did you not arrive sooner ? Were you neces- 
sarily detained ? 

72. How often shall my brother sin against me, and I for- 
give him ? Till seven times ? 

73. But what excuse can the Englishman plead ? The 
custom of duelling? 

74. What concern they 1 The general cause ? 

75. How many lessons are there in this book? Are there 
more than twenty-five ? 



LESSON VI. 

In this lesson some of the sentences are questions requir- 
ing the rising, and some the falling, inflection of the voice. 
A few sentences also ending with a period are inserted. 
No directions are given to the pupil icith regard to the 
manner of reading them, it being desirable that his own 
understanding, under the guidance of nature alone, should 
direct him. But it may be observed that questions which 
can be answered by yes, or no, generally require the rising 
inflection of the voice ; and that questions which cannot be 
answered by yes, or no, generally require the falling in- 
flection. 

EXAMPLES. 

76. John, where have you been this morning ? 

77. Have you seen my father to-day. 

78. That is a beautiful top. 

79. Where did you get it ? 

80. I bought it at the toy-shop. 

81. What did you give for it? 

82. I gave a shilling for it. 

83. What excuse have you for coming late this morning? 
Did you not know that it is past the school hour ? 

84. If you are so inattentive to your lessons, do you think 
that you shall make much improvement ? 

85. Will you go, or stay ? Will you ride, or walk ? 

86. Will you go to-day, or to-morrow ? 

87. Did he resemble his father, or his mother ? 

88. Is this book yours, or mine ? 

89. Do you hold the watch to-night ? We do, sir. 

3* 



30 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



90. Did you say that he was armed ? He was armed. 

91. Did you not speak to it 1 I did. 

92. Art thou he that should come, or must we expect 
another person ? 

93. Why are you so silent ? Have you nothing to say ? 

94. Who hath believed our report 1 To whom hath the 
arm of the Lord been revealed ? 



LESSON VII* 

THE EXCLAMATION POINT. 

The Exclamation Point is a mark like this ! 

The exclamation point is placed at the end of sentences 
which express surprise, astonishment, wonder, or admiration, 
and other strong feelings ; and such sentences are generally 
read with the falling inflection of the voice. 

EXAMPLES, 

95. How cold it is to-day ! 

96. What a beautiful top that is ! 

97. How mysterious are the ways, of Providence ! 

98. How noisy those boys are in the street ! 

99. What a simple fellow he is to spend his money so 
uselessly ! 

100. Poor fellow, he does not know what to do with 
himself! 

101. What a fine morning it is ! How brightly the sun 
shines ! How verdant is the landscape ! # How sweetly the 
birds sing ! 

102. Look here ! See what a handsome doll my mother 
has just given me ! 

103. Good Heaven ! What an eventful life was hers ! 

104. Good friends! sweet friends! let me not stir you 
up to such a sudden flood of mutiny ! 

105. Oh, what a fall was there, my countrymen ! 

106. Oh disgrace upon manhood ! It is strange ! It is 
dreadful ! 

107. Alas, poor country, almost afraid to know itself! 



IX READING. 31 

103. Oh glory ! glory ! mighty one on earth ! How just- 
ly imaged in this waterfall ! 

109. Tremendous torrent ! for ah instant hush the terrors 
of thy voice ! 

110. Ah, terribly the hoarse and rapid whirlpools rage 
there ! 

111. Oh! deep enchanting prelude to repose! The dawn 
of bliss, the twilight of our woes ! 

112. Daughter of Faith, awake ! arise ! illume the dread 
unknown, the chaos of the tomb ! 

113. It is a dread and awful thing to die ! 

114. Lovely art thou, oh Peace! and lovely are thy chil- 
dren, and lovely are the prints of thy footsteps in the green 
valleys ! 

115. Why, here comes my father ! How quickly he has 
returned ! Oh how glad I am to see him ! 



LESSON VI11. 

THE PERIOD, INTERROGATION, AND EX- 
CLAMATION UNITED. 

The pupil was taught, in the first lesson, (see No. 3.) that when he 
comes to a period, he must stop, as if he had nothing more to read. At 
the end of a paragraph, ivhether the period or any other mark be used, 
a longer pause should he made than at the end of an ordinary sentence. 
The interrogation and the exclamation points generally require pauses 
of the same length with the period. 

It may here be remarked, that good readers always make their 
pauses long ; but whatever be the length of the pause, the pupil must be 
careful that every pause which he makes shall be a total cessation of 
the VOICE. 

EXAMPLES. 

116. George is a good boy. He gets his lesson well. He 
is attentive to the instructions of his teacher. He is orderly 
and quiet at home. 

117. A good scholar is known by his obedience to the 
rules of the school. He obeys the directions of his teacher. 
His attendance at the proper time of school is always punc- 



32 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

tual. He is remarkable for his diligence and attention. He 
reads no other book than that which he is desired to read by 
his master. He studies no lessons but those which are ap- 
pointed for the day. He takes no toys from his pocket to 
amuse himself or others. He pays no regard to those who 
attempt to divert his attention from his book. 

118. Do you know who is a good scholar? Can you 
point out many in this room ? How negligent some of our 
fellow-pupils are ! Ah ! I am afraid that many will regret 
that they have not improved their time ! 

119. Why, here comes Charles ! Did you think that he 
would return so soon 1 I suspect that he has not been 
pleased with his visit. Have you, Charles? And were your 
friends glad to see you ? When is cousin Jane to be mar- 
ried ? Will she make us a visit before she is married ? Or 
will she wait until she has changed her name? 

120. My dear Edward, how happy I am to see you ! I 
heard of your approaching happiness with the highest pleas- 
ure. How does Rose do ? And how is our old whimsical 
friend the baron ? You must be patient, and answer all my 
questions. I have many inquiries to make. 

121. The first dawn of morning found Waverley on the 
esplanade in front of the old Gothic gate of the castle. But 
he paced it long before the draw-bridge was lowered. He 
produced his order to the sergeant of the guard, and was 
admitted. The place of his friend's confinement was a 
gloomy apartment in the central part of the castle. 

122. Do you expect to be as high in your class as your' 
brother? Did you recite your lessons as well as he did? 
Lazy boy ! Careless child ! You have been playing these 
two hours. You have paid no attention to your lessons. 
You cannot say a word of them. How foolish you have 
been ! What a waste of time and talents you have made ! 



LESSON IX. 

THE COMMA. 

The Comma is a mark like this 9 

When you come to a comma in reading, you must gener- 
ally make a short pause. Sometimes you must use the falling 



IN READING. 33 

inflection of the voice, when you come to a comma ; and 
sometimes you must keep you?' voice suspended, as if some 
one had stopped you before you had read all that you in- 
tended. In this lesson you must keep your voice suspended 
when you come to a comma ; but let the slight pause, or stop 
t/uzt you make, be a total cessation of the voice. 

EXAMPLES. 

1*23. Diligence, industry, and proper improvement of 
lime, are material duties of the young. 

124. He is generous, just, charitable, and humane. 

1*25. By wisdom, by art, by the united strength of a civil 
community, men have been enabled to subdue the whole 
race of lions, bears, and serpents. 

126. The genuine glory, the proper distinction of the 
rational species, arises from the perfection of the mental 
powers. % 

127. Courage is apt to be fierce, and strength is often 
exerted in acts of oppression. Wisdom is the associate of 
justice. It assists her to form equal laws, to pursue right 
measures, to correct power, to protect weakness, and to 
unite individuals in a common interest and general welfare. 
Heroes may kill tyrants, but it is wisdom and laws that pre- 
vent tyranny and oppression. 

[Sometimes a comma must be read like a question.'] 

128.* Do you pretend to sit as high in school as Antho- 
ny ? Did von read as correctly, speak as loudly, or behave 
as well as he ? • 

125. Do you pretend to sit as high on Olympus as Her- 
cules '? Did you kill the Nemean lion, the Erymanthiau 
boar, the Lernean serpent, or Stymphalian birds ? 

129. Are you the boy, of whose good conduct I have 
heard so much 1 

129. Art thou the Thracian robber, of whose exploits I 
have heard so much ? 

130. Have you not misemployed your time, wasted your 
talents, and passed your life in idleness and vice ? 

130. Hast thou not set at defiance my authority, violated 

* Some of the sentences which follow will be marked with the same number j 
and such sentences are to be read in the same manner, and with the same in- 
flection of the voice, &c. 



34 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

the public peace, and passed thy life in injuring the persona 
and properties of thy fellow-subjects ? 

131. Who is that standing up in his place, with his hat 
on, and his books under his arm ? 

131. Whom are they ushering from the world, with all 
this pageantry and long parade of death ? 

132. Did he recite his lesson correctly, read audibly, and 
appear to understand what he read? 

132. Was his copy written neatly, his letters made hand- 
somely, and did no blot appear on his book ? 

132. Was his wealth stored fraudfully, the spoil of orphans 
wronged, and widows who had none to plead their rights? 

132. Have not you, too, gone about the earth like an evil 
genius, blasting the fair fruits of peace and industry? 

133. Is that a map which you have before you, with the 
leaves blotted with ink ? 

133. Is this a dagger, which I see before me, the handle 
toward my hand ? 

133. Will you say that your time is your own, and that 
you have a right to employ it in the manner you please ? 

[Sometimes the comma is to be read like a period, tvith 
the falling inflection of the voice.] 

134. The teacher directed him to take his seat, to study 
his lesson, and to pass no more time in idleness. 

134. It is said by unbelievers that religion is dull, unso- 
cial, uncharitable, enthusiastic, a damper of human joy, a 
morose intruder upon human pleasure. 

134. Charles has brought his pen instead of his pencil, 
his paper instead of his slate, his grammar instead of his 
arithmetic. 

134. Perhaps you have mistaken sobriety for dulness, 
equanimity for moroseness, disinclination to bad company 
for aversion to society, abhorrence of vice for uncharitable- 
ness, and piety for enthusiasm. 

135. Henry was careless, thoughtless, heedless, and in- 
attentive. 

135. This' is partial, unjust, uncharitable, iniquitous. 

135. The history of religion is ransacked for instances of 
persecution, of austerities, and enthusiastic irregularities. 

135. Religion is often supposed to be something which 
must be practised apart from every thing else, a distinct pro- 
fession, a peculiar occupation. 



IN HEADING. 35 

J 35. Dryden's mind has a larger range, and he collects 
his images and illustrations from a more extensive circum- 
ference of science. Dryden knew more of man in his gen- 
eral nature, and Pope in his local manners. The notions 
of Dryden were formed by comprehensive speculation, and 
those of Pope by minute attention. 

135. Oh ! you might deem the spot the spacious cavern 
of some virgin mine, deep in the womb of earth, where the 
gems grow, and diamonds put forth radiant rods, and bud 
with amethyst and topaz. ■ 

[Sometimes the comma is to be read like an exclamation*] 

136. Oh how can you destroy those beautiful things which 
your father procured for you ! that beautiiul top, those pol- 
ished marbles, that excellent ball, and that beautifully painted 
kite, oh how can you destroy them, and expect that he will 
buy you new ones ! 

136. Oh how canst thou renounce the boundless store 
of charms that Nature to her votary yields ! the warbling 
woodland, the resounding shore, the pomp of groves, the 
garniture of fields, all that the genial ray of morning gilds, 
and all that echoes to the song of even, all that the moun- 
tain's sheltering bosom shields, and all the dread magnifi- 
cence of heaven, oh how canst thou renounce and hope to 
be forgiven ! 

137. Oh winter ! ruler of the inverted year ! thy scattered 
hair with sleetlike ashes filled, thy breath congealed upon 
thy lips, thy cheeks fringed with a beard made white with 
other snows than those of age, thy forehead wrapped in 
clouds, a leafless branch thy scepter, and thy throne a sliding 
car, indebted to no wheels, but urged by storms along its 
slippery way, I love thee, all unlovely as thou seemest, and 
dreaded as thou art ! 

138. Lovely art thou, O Peace ! and lovely are thy children, 
and lovely are the prints of thy footsteps in the green valleys. 

[Sometimes the comma and other marks are to be read 
without any pause or inflection of the voice."] 

13S. You see, boys, what a fine school-room we have, in 
which you can pursue your studies. 

* The pupil will notice that some sentences which contain a question, to 
which no answer is given or expected, are marked with an exclamation point 
instead of an interrogation point ; hut such sentences generally express sur- 
prise or astonishment, &c. The sentences numbered 136 are of this kind 
See Clark's English Grammar. Pc.cre 196. 



36 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

13S. You see, my son, this wide and large firmament 
over our heads, where the sun and moon, and al] the stars 
appear in their turns. 

138. Therefore, my child, fear, and worship, and love 
God. 

138. He, that can read as well as you can, James, need 
not be ashamed to read aloud. 

138. He, that can make the multitude laugh and weep as 
you can, Mr. Shakspeare, need not fear scholars. 

139. I consider it my duty, at this time, to tell you, that 
you have done something, of which you ought to be 
ashamed. 

139. I deem it my duty, on this occasion, to suggest, that 
the land is not yet wholly free from the contamination of a 
traffic, at which every feeling of humanity must revolt. 

140. The Spaniards, while thus employed, were sur- 
rounded by many of the natives, who gazed, in silent admi- 
ration, upon actions which they could not comprehend, and 
of which they did not foresee the consequences. The dress 
of the Spaniards, the whiteness of their skins, their beards, 
their arms, appeared strange and surprising. 

141. Yet, fair as thou art, thou shunnest to glide, beau 
tiful stream! by the village side, but windest away from the 
haunts of men, to silent valley and shaded glen. 

142. But it is not for man, either solely or principally, 
that night is made. 

143. We imagine, that, in a world of our own creation, 
there would always be a blessing in the air, and flowers and 
fruits on the earth. 

144. Share with you! said his father — so the industrious 
must lose his labor to feed the idle. 

144. His brother, Moses, did not imitate his example. 



LESSON X. 

[Sometimes the pause of a comma must be made where 
there is no pause in your book. Spaces are left in the fol- 
lowing sentences where the pause is proper.] 

145. James was very much delighted with the picture 
which he saw. 



IN READING. "37 

145. The Europeans were hardly less amazed at the 
scene now before them. 

146. The inhabitants were entirely naked. Their 
black hair, long and curled, floated upon their shoulders, 
or was bound in tresses around their head. 

147. Persons of reflection and sensibility contemplate 
with interest the scenes of nature. 

14S. The succession and contrast of the seasons give 
scope to that care and foresight, diligence and industry, which 
are essential to the dignity and enjoyment of human be- 
ings. 

149. The eye is sweetly delayed on every object to 
which it turns. It is grateful to perceive how widely, 
yet chastely, nature hath mixed her colors and painted 
her robe. 

150. Winter compensates for the want of attractions 
abroad by fireside delights and homefelt joys. In 
all this interchange and variety we find reason to ac- 
knowledge the wise and benevolent care of the God 
of seasons. 

[The pupil may read the following sentences ; but before reading them, 
he may tell after what word the pause should be made. The pause is not 
printed in the sentences, but it must be made when reading them. And 
here it may be observed, that the comma is more frequently used to point 
out the grammatical divisions of a sentence, than to indicate a rest or 
cessation of the voice. Good reading depends much upon skill and judg- 
ment in making those pauses which the sense of the sentence dictates, but 
which are not noted in the book; and the sooner the pupil is taught to 
make them, with proper discrimination, the surer and the more rapid icill 
be his progress in the art of reading.] 

151. While they were at their silent meal a horseman 
came galloping to the door, and, with a loud voice, called 
out that he had been sent express with a letter to Gilbert 
Ainslee. 

152. The golden head that was wont to rise at that part 
of the table was now wanting. 

153. For even though absent from school I shall get the 
lesson. 

153. For even though dead I will control the trophies of 
the capitol. 

154. It is now two hundred years since attempts have 
been made to civilize the North American savage. 

155. Doing well has something more in it than the fulfil- 
ling of a duty. 

3 



38 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

156. You will expect me to say something of the lonely 
records of the former races that inhabited this country. 

157. There is no virtue without a characteristic beauty 
to make it particularly loved by the good, and to make the 
bad ashamed of their neglect of it. 

158. A sacrifice was never yet offered to a principle, that 
was not made up to us by self-approval, and the considera- 
tion of what our degradation would have been had we done 
otherwise. 

159 The following story has been handed down by family 
tradition for more than a century. 

160. The succession and contrast of the seasons give 
scope to that care and foresight, diligence and industry, 
which are essential to the dignity and enjoyment of human 
beings, whose happiness is connected with the exertion of 
their faculties. 

161. A lion of the largest size measures from eight to 
nine feet from the muzzle to the origin of the tail, which 
last is of itself- about four feet long. The height of the 
larger specimens is four or five feet. 

162. The following anecdote will show with what obstinate 
perseverance pack horses have been known to preserve the 
line of their order. 

163. Good morning to you, Charles ! Whose book is that 
which you have under your arm? 

163. A benison upon thee, gentle huntsman ! Whose 
towers are these that overlook the wood? 

164. The incidents of the last few days have been such 
as will probably never again b€ witnessed by the people of 
America, and such as were never before witnessed by any 
nation under heaven. 

165. To the memory of Andre his country has erected 
the most magnificent monuments, and bestowed on his fam- 
ily the highest honors and most liberal rewards. To the 
memory of Hale not a stone has been erected, and the trav- 
eler asks in vain for the place of his long sleep. 



IN READING. 39 

LESSON XI. 

THE SEMICOLON. 

The Semicolon is made by a comma placed under a period, 
thus j 

Wlien you come to a semicolon, you must generally make a 
pause twice as long as you would make at a comma. 

Sometimes you must use the falling inflection of the voice 
ivhen you come to a semicolon, and sometimes you must keep 
your voice suspended, as you were directed in the ninth lesson. 
Whatever may be the length of the pauses, let it be a total 
cessation of the voice. 

When you come to a semicolon in this lesson, you must 
keep your voice suspended, as you were directed in the ninth 
lesson. 

EXAMPLES. 

166. That God whom you see me daily worship; whom 1 
daily call upon to bless both you and me, and all mankind ; 
whose wondrous acts are recorded in those Scriptures which 
you constantly read; that God who^ created the heaven and 
the earth is your Father and Friend. 

167. My son, as you have been used to look to me in all 
your actions, and have been afraid to do any thing unless 
you first knew my will ; so let it now be a rule of your life 
to look up to God in all your actions. 

168. If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or 
any poor without covering; if his loins have not blessed me, 
and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep ; if 
I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw 
my help in the gate ; then let mine arm fall from my shoul 
der blade, and mine arm be broken from the bone. 

169. The stranger did not lodge in the street; but I 
opened my doors to the traveler. 

170. If my land cry against me, or the furrows thereof 
complain; if I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, 
or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life; let 
thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockles instead of barley. 

171. When the fair moon, refulgent lamp of night, o'er 
heaven's clear azure spreads her sacred light ; when net a 



40 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

breath disturbs the deep serene, and not a cloud o'ercasts the 
solemn scene; around her throne the vivid planets roll, and 
stars unnumbered gild the glowing pole ; o'er the dark trees 
a yellower verdure shed, and tip with silver every mountain's 
head; then shine the vales, the rocks in prospect rise, a flood 
of glory bursts from all the skies ; the conscious swains, re- 
joicing in the sight, eye the blue vault, and bless the useful 
light. 

172. When the battle was ended, the stranger disappeared : 
and no person knew whence he had come, nor whither he had 
gone. 

173. The relief was so timely, so sudden, so unexpected, 
and so providential; the appearance and the retreat of him 
who furnished it were so unaccountable ; his person was so 
dignified and commanding; his resolution so superior, and 
his interference so decisive, that the inhabitants believed him 
to be an angel, sent by Heaven for their preservation. 



LESSON XII. 

Sometimes you must use the falling inflection of the voice 
when you come to a semicolon, as in the following. 

EXAMPLES. 

174. Let your dress be sober, clean, and modest; not to 
set off the beauty of your person, but to declare the sobriety 
of your mind; that your outward garb may resemble the in- 
ward plainness and simplicity of your heart. 

175. In meat and drink, observe the rules of Christian 
temperance and sobriety ; consider your body only as the 
servant and minister of your soul; and only so nourish it, 
as it may best perform an humble and obedient service. 

176. Condescend to all the weakness and infirmities of 
your fellow-creatures; cover their frailties; love their excel- 
lences; encourage their virtues; relieve their wants; rejoice 
in their prosperity; compassionate their distress; receive their 
friendship; overlook their unkindness; forgive their malice; 
be 5. servant of servants ; and condescend to do the lowest 
offices for the lowest of mankind. 



. IX READING. 41 

177. Struck with the sight of so line a tree, he hastened 
to his own, hoping to find as large a crop upon it; but, to his 
great surprise, he saw scarcely any thing, except branches, 
covered with moss, and a few yellow leaves. 

ITS. In sleep's serene oblivion laid, I've safely passed the 
silent night ; again I see the breaking shade, again behold 
the morning light. 

179. New-born, I bless the waking hour ; once more, with 
awe, rejoice to be; my conscious soul resumes her power, 
and soars, my guardian God, to thee. 

180. That deeper shade shall break away; that deeper 
sleep shall leave mine eyes; thy light shall give eternal 
day ; thy love, the rapture of the skies. 

181. In the sight of our law the African slave trader is a 
pirate and a felon ; and in the sight of Heaven, f an offender 
far beyond the ordinary depth of human guilt. 

1S2. Between Nose and Eyes a strange contest arose; the 
spectacles set them unhappily wrong ; the point in dispute 
was, as all the world knows, to which the said spectacles 
ought to belong. 

183. What hope of liberty is there remaining, if whatever 
is their pleasure, it is lawful for them to do; if what is lawful 
for them to do, they are able to do ; if what they are able to 
do, they dare do; if what they dare do, they really execute; 
and if what they execute, is in no way offensive to you? 

184. Mercury, I won't go in the boat with that fellow. He 
has murdered his countryman; he has murdered his friend; 
I say I won't go in the boat with that fellow ; I will swim over 
the river; I can swim like a duck. 

185. It is not the use of the innocent amusements of life 
which is dangerous, but the abuse of them ; it is not when 
they are occasionally, but when they are constantly pursued ; 
when the love of amusement degenerates into a passion; and 
when, from being an occasional indulgence, it becomes an 
habitual desire. 

186. The prevailing color of the body of a tiger is a deep 
tawny, or orange yellow : the face, throat, and lower part of 
the belly are nearly white ; and the whole is traversed by 
numerous long black stripes. 

187. The horse, <next to the Hottentot, is the favorite prey 
of the lion ; and the elephant and camel are both highly rel- 
ished ; while the sheep, owing probably to its woolly fleece, 
is seldom molested. 

188. The lion, with his strong teeth, breaks large bones 

4=^ 



42 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



with the greatest ease; and he often swallows their fragments 
along with the flesh. 

189. The horse is -quick-sighted; he can see things in the 
night which his rider cannot perceive; but when it is too 
dark for his sight, his sense of smelling is his guide. 

190. In summer, horses in the country feed on grass, or on 
grass and oats; in winter, they eat oats, corn, and hay. When 
grazing in the pasture, they always choose the shortest grass, 
because it is the sweetest ; and as they have cutting teeth in 
both their jaws, they can eat very near the ground. 



LESSON XIII. 

The semicolon is sometimes used for a question, and some- 
times as an exclamation. 

EXAMPLES. 

192. Hast thou not set at defiance my authority; violated 
the public peace, and passed thy life in injuring the persons 
and properties of thy fellow-subjects ? 

193. Oh, it was impious ; it was unmanly ; it was poor and 
pitiful ! 

194. Have not you too gone about the earth like an evil 
genius ; blasting the fair fruits of peace and industry ; plun- 
dering, ravaging, killing without law, without justice, merely 
to gratify an insatiable lust for dominion ? 

195. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to 
sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind ; a false crea- 
tion, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? 

196. Has Mercury struck thee with his enfeebling rod ; 
or art thou ashamed to betray thy awkwardness? [This 
sentence should be read as directed in Lesson 4.] 

197. By such apologies shall man insult his Creator; and 
shall he hope to flatter the ear of Omnipotence? Think you 
that such excuses will gain new importance in their ascent 
to the Majesty on high; and will you twist the interests of 
eternity in the hands of these superficial advocates? 

198. And shall not the Christian blush to repine; the 
Christian, from before whom the veil is removed; to whose 
eyes are revealed the glories of heaven? 



IN READING. 43 

199. Why, for so many a year, has the poet and the philoso- 
pher wandered amidst the fragments of Athens or of Rome; 
and paused, with strange and kindling feelings, amidst their 
broken columns, their mouldering temples, their deserted 
plains? It is because their day of glory is passed; it is be- 
cause their name is obscured; their power is departed; their 
influence is lost ! 

200. Where are they who taught these stones to grieve ; 
where are the hands that hewed them ; and the hearts that 
reared them ? 

201. Hope ye by these to avert oblivion's doom ; in grief 
ambitious, and in ashes vain ? 

202. Can no support be offered ; can no source of confi- 
dence be named? 

203. Is this the man that made the earth to tremble; that 
shook the kingdoms; that made the world like a desert; 
that destroyed the cities? 

203. Falsely luxurious, will not man awake ; and, spring- 
ing from the bed of sloth, enjoy the cool, the fragrant, and 
the silent hour, to meditation due and sacred song? 

204. Bat who shall speak before the king when he is troub- 
led ; and who shall boast of knowledge when he is distressed 
by doubt? 

205. Who would in such a gloomy state remain longer 
than nature craves; when every muse and every blooming 
pleasure wait without, to bless the wildly devious morning 
walk ? 

206. Farewell ! May the smile of Him who resides in 
the heaven of heavens be upon thee ; and against thy name, 
in the volume of his will, may happiness be written ! 

207. What a glorious monument of human invention, that 
has thus triumphed over wind and w T ave ; has brought the 
ends of the earth in communion ; has established an inter- 
change of blessings, pouring into the sterile regions of the 
north all the luxuries of the south; diffused the light of 
knowledge and the charities of cultivated life; and has thus 
bound together those scattered portions of the human race, 
between which, nature seems to have thrown an insurmount- 
able barrier ! 

20S. Who that bears a human bosom, hath not often felt, 
how dear are all those ties which bind our race in gentleness 
together ; and how sweet their force, let fortune's wayward 
nand the while be kind or cruel ? 

209. If it was intended for us as well as you, why has not 



44 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

the Great Spirit given it to us ; and not only to us, but why 
did he not give to our forefathers the knowledge of that book, 
with the means of rightly understanding it ? 



LESSON XIV. 

THE COLON. 

The Colon consists of two periods placed one above the other, 
thus i 

Sometimes^ the passage ending with a colon is to be read 
with the voice suspended ; but it should generally be read 
with the falling inflection of the voice. In this lesson the 
falling inflection is required. 

Be careful to let this pause be a total cessation of the 
voice, — longer than that indicated by a comma, or by a semi- 
colon. 

EXAMPLES. 

210. The smile of gayety is often assumed while the hear: 
aches within : though folly may laugh, guilt will sting. 

211. There is no mortal truly wise and restless at the same 
time: wisdom is the repose of the mind. 

212. Nature felt her inability to extricate herself from the 
consequences of guilt: the gospel reveals the plan of Divine 
interposition and aid. 

213. Nature confessed some atonement to be necessary : 
the gospel discovers that the atonement is made. 

214. Law and order are forgotten : violence and rapine 
are abroad : the golden cords of society are loosed. 

215. The temples are profaned : the soldier's curse re- 
sounds in the house of God : the marble pavement is tram- 
pled by iron hoofs : horses neigh beside the altar. 

216. Blue wreaths of smoke ascend through the trees, 
and betray the half-hidden cottage: the eye contemplates 
well-thatched ricks, and barns bursting with plenty: the 
peasant laughs at the approach of winter. 

217. The necessaries of life are few, and industry secures 
them to every man: it is the elegancies of life that empty the 



IN READING. 45 

purse* the knick-knacks of fashion, the gratification of pride, 
and the indulgence of luxury, make a man poor. 

218. Your tree was as fruitful, and in as good order as 
his : it bore as many blossoms, and grew in the same soil : 
only it was not fostered with the same care. Edmund has 
kept his tree clear of hurtful insects : you have suffered them 
to eat up yours in its blossom. 

219. My dear children, I give you these trees : you see 
that they are in good condition. They will thrive as much 
by your care as they will decline by your negligence : their 
fruits will reward you in proportion to your labor. 

220. But Abraham pressed him greatly : so he turned, and 
they went into the tent : and Abraham baked unleavened 
bread, and they did eat. 

221. A bee among the flowers in spring is one of the 
most cheerful objects that can be looked upon. Its life ap- 
pears to be all enjoyment : so busy and so pleased : yet it is 
only a specimen of insect life, with which, by reason of the 
animal being half domesticated, we happen to be better ac- 
quainted. 

222. 'Tis a picture in memory distinctly defined, with 
the strong and unperishing colors of mind : a part of my 
being beyond my control, beheld on that cloud, and tran- 
scribed on my soul. 

223. Bare trees and shrubs but ill you know could shelter 
them from rain or snow : stepping into their nests they pad- 
dled : themselves were chilled, their eggs were addled : soon 
every father bird and mother grew quarrelsome and pecked 
each other. 

224. Yet such is the destiny of all on earth : so flour- 
ishes and fades majestic man. 

225. Let those deplore their doom whose hopes still 
grovel in this dark sojourn : but lofty souls, who look be- 
yond the tomb, can smile at fate, and wonder why they 
mourn. 

226. If for my faded brow thy hand prepare some fu- 
ture wreath, let me the gift resign : transfer the rosy gar- 
land : let it bloom around the temples of that friend be- 
loved, on whose maternal bosom, even now, I lay my aching 
head. 

227. We do not understand these things : we are told 
that your religion was given to your forefathers, and has 
been handed down from father to son. We also have a 
religion which was given to our forefathers, and has been 



46 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

handed down to us : it teaches us to be thankful for all 
favors received, to love each other, and to be united* we 
never quarrel about religion. 



LESSON XV. 

THE COLON,— continued. 

In this lesson the passages ending with a colon are to 
be read with the voice suspended. (See Lesson 9th.) 

228. Do not flatter yourselves with the hope of perfect 
happiness : there is no such thing in the world. 

229. He was often heard to say : I have done with the 
world ; and I am willing to leave it. 

229. Be not a niggard of your speech : how goes it ? 

229. Those will be bad days to acquire and cultivate the 
spirit of devotion : but the spirit of devotion, acquired, and 
cultivated, and confirmed before, will convert those bad days 
into good ones. 

230. But, when old age has on your temples shed her 
silver frost, there's no returning sun : swift flies our summer, 
swift our autumn's fled, when youth, and spring, and golden 
joys, are gone. 

231. A divine legislator, uttering his voice from heaven; 
an almighty governor, stretching forth his arm to punish or 
reward ; informing us of perpetual rest prepared hereafter 
for the righteous, and of indignation and wrath awaiting the 
wicked : these are the considerations which overawe the 
world, which support integrity, and check guilt. 

232. Not to the rosy maid, whom former hours beheld 
me fondly covet, tune I now the melancholy lyre: but 'tis 
to thee, O Sickness ! 'tis to thee I wake the silent strings. 

233.* A boy at school is by no means at liberty to read 
what books he pleases : he must give attention to those 
which contain his lessons; so that when he is called upon 
to recite, he may be ready, fluent, and accurate in repeating 
the portion assigned him. 

233. A poet is by no means at liberty to invent what 
system of the marvelous he pleases : he must avail himself 

* See note on page 33. 



IN READING. 47 

either of the religious faith, or the superstitious credulity 
of the country wherein he lives ; so as to give an air of 
probability to events which are most contrary^© the com- 
mon course of nature. 

234.* It is not only in the school-room, that attention 
should be given to your books: there is a place, one not 
like a school-room ; I mean your own chamber : where you 
can find many opportunities of acquiring knowledge. 

234. It is not only in the sacred fane that homage should 
be paid to the Most High : there is a temple, one not made 
with hands; the vaulted firmament: far in the woods, almost 
beyond the sound of city-chime, at intervals heard through 
the breezeless air. 

235. As we perceive the shadow to have moved along 
the dial, but did not perceive its moving; and it appears 
that the grass has grown, though nobody ever saw it grow : 
so the advances w T e make in knowledge, as they consist of 
such minute steps, are perceivable only by the distance 
gone over. 

236. When the proud steed shall know why man restrains 
his fiery course, or drives him o'er the plains ; when the dull 
ox, why now he breaks the clod, is now a victim, and now 
Egypt's god : then shall man's pride and dulness compre- 
hend his actions', passions', being's use and end. 

237. Jehovah, God of hosts, hath sworn, saying: Surely 
as I have devised, so shall it be ; and as I have purposed, 
so shall it stand. 

238. That day he wore a riding coat, but not a whit the 
warmer he : another was on Thursday brought, and ere the 
Sabbath he had three. 

239. George, you must not laugh at me; I will not bear 
it. You forget what you are about when you ridicule me . 
I know more than you do about the lessons. 

239. Brutus, bay not me; I'll not endure it. You for- 
get yourself, to hedge me in : I am a soldier, older in prac- 
tice, abler than yourself to make conditions. 

240. I never heard a word about it before, said George, 
yesterday : who told you about it, Charles ? 

240. I never heard one word of it before, said my uncle 
Toby, hastily : how came he there, Trim ? 

241. Thou shalt pronounce this parable upon the king 
of Babylon; and shalt say: How hath the oppressor ceased? 

* See note on page 33. 



48 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



^ LESSON XVI. 

THE PARENTHESIS, CROTCHETS, AND 
BRACKETS 

A Parenthesis is a sentence, or part of a sentence, in- 
closed between two curved lines like these ( ) 

The curved lines in which the parenthesis is inclosed are 
called Crotchets. 

The parenthesis, with the crotchets which inclose it, is 
generally inserted between the words of another sentence, 
and may be omitted without injuring the sense. 

The parenthesis should generally be read in a quicJcer and 
lower tone of voice than the other parts of the sentence in 
which it stands* 

Sometimes a sentence is" inclosed in marks like these [ 
which are called Brackets , # 

Sentences which are included within crotchets or brackets, 
should generally be read in a quicker and lower tone of voice. 

EXAMPLES. 

242. I asked my eldest son (a boy who never was guilty 
of a falsehood) to give me a correct account of the matter. 

243. The master told me that the lesson (which was a 
very difficult one) was recited correctly by every pupil in 
the class. 

244. When they were both turned of forty, (an age in 
which, according to Mr. Cowley, there is no dallying with 
life,) they determined to retire, and pass the remainder of 
their days in the country. 

245. Notwithstanding all this care of Cicero, history 
informs us, that Marcus proved a mere blockhead; and 
that nature (who, it seems, was even with the son for her 

* Although the crotchet and the bracket are sometimes indiscriminately 
used, the following" difference in their use may generally be noticed : Crotchets 
are used to inclose a sentence, or part of a sentence, which is inserted between 
the parts of another sentence : brackets are generally used to separate two 
subjects, or to inclose an explanation, note, or observation, standing by itself. 
When a parenthesis occurs within another parenthesis, brackets inclose the 
former, and crotchets inclose the latter. See No. 263. 
Claris English Grammar, page 197. 



IN HEADING. 49 

prodigality to the father) rendered him incapable of im- 
proving, by all the rules of eloquence, the precepts of phi- 
losophy, his own endeavors, and the most refined conversa- 
tion in Athens. 

246. Natural historians observe (for whilst I am in the 
country I must fetch my allusions from thence) that only 
the male birds have voices ; that their songs begin a little 
before breeding-time, and end a little after. 

247. Dr. Clark has observed, that Homer is more per- 
spicuous than any other author; but if he is so, (which yet 
may be questioned,) the perspicuity arises from his subject, 
and not from the language itself in which he writes. 

248. The many letters which come to me from persons 
of the best sense of both sexes (for I may pronounce their 
characters from their way of writing) do not a little en- 
courage me in the prosecution of this my undertaking. 

249. It is this sense which furnishes the imagination with 
its ideas; so that by the pleasures of the imagination, or 
fancy, (terms which I shall use promiscuously,) I here mean 
such as arise from visible objects. 

250. The stomach (cramm'd from every dish, a tomb of 
boiled and roast, and flesh and fish, where bile, and wind, 
and phlegm, and acid, jar, and all. the man is one intestine 
war) remembers oft the school-boy's simple fare, the tem- 
perate sleeps, and spirits light as air. 

251. William Penn was distinguished from his com- 
panions by wearing a blue sash of silk network, (which it 
seems is still preserved by Mr. Kett of Seething-hall, near 
Norwich,) and by having in his hand a roll of parchment, 
on which was engrossed the confirmation of the treaty of 
purchase and amity. 

252. Again, would your worship a moment suppose, ('tis 
a case that has happened, and may be again,) that the visage 
or countenance had not a nose, pray w^o would, or who 
could, wear spectacles then? 

253. Upon this the dial-plate (if we may credit the fable) 
changed countenance with alarm. 

254. To speak of nothing else, the arrival of the Eng- 
lish in her father's dominions must have appeared (as indeed 
it turned out to be) a most portentous phenomenon. 

255. Surely, in this age of invention something may be 
struck out to obviate the necessity (if such necessity exists) 
of so tasking the human intellect. 

256. I compassionate the unfortunates now, (at this very 

5 



50 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

moment, perhaps,) screwed up perpendicularly in the seat 
of torture, having in the right hand a fresh-nibbed patent 
pen, dipped ever and anon into the ink-bottle, as if to hook 
up ideas, and under the outspread palm of the left hand a 
fair sheet of best Bath post, (ready to receive thoughts yet 
unhatched,) on which their eyes are rivetted with a stare of 
disconsolate perplexity, infinitely touching to a feeling mind. 

257. Oh the unspeakable relief (could such a machine 
be invented) of having only to grind an answer to one of 
one's dear five hundred friends! 

258. Have I not groaned under similar horrors, from the 
hour when I was first shut up (under lock and key, I believe) 
to indite a dutiful epistle to an honored aunt 1 

259. To such unhappy persons, then, I would fain offer a 
few hints, (the fruit of long experience,) which may prove 
serviceable in the hour of emergency. 

260. If ever you should come to Modena, (where, among 
other relics, you may see Tassoni's bucket,) stop at a palace 
near the Reggio gate, dwelt in of old by one of the Donati. 

261. My father and my uncle Toby (clever soul) were 
sitting by the fire with Dr. Slop: and Corporal Trim (a 
brave and honest fellow) was reading a sermon to them. — As 
the sermon contains many parentheses, and affords an op- 
portunity also of showing you a sentence in brackets, (you 
will observe that all the previous parentheses in this lesson 
are enclosed in crotchets,) I shall insert some .parts of it in 
the following numbers. [See No. 262, 263, &,c] 

262. To have the fear of God before our eyes, and in our 
mutual dealings with each other, to govern our actions by 
the eternal measures of right and wrong : the first of these 
will comprehend the duties of religion ; the second those of 
morality, which are so inseparably connected together, that 
you cannot divide these two tables, even in imagination, 
(though the atte/npt is often made in practice,) without 
breaking and mutually destroying them both. [Here my 
father observed that Dr. Slop was fast asleep.] I said the 
attempt is often made; and so it is; there being nothing 
more common than to see a man who has no sense at all of 
religion, and, indeed, has so much honesty as to pretend to 
none, who would take it as the bitterest affront, should you 
but hint at a suspicion of his moral character, or imagine he 
was not conscientiously just and scrupulous to the uttermost 
mite. 



IN READING. 51 

263. I know the banker I deal with, or the physician I 
usually call in, [There is no need, cried Dr. Slop (waking) 
to call in any physician in this case,] to be neither of them 
men of much religion. 

264. For a general proof of this, examine the history of 
the Romish Church: [Well, what can you make of that? 
cried Dr. Slop :] see what scenes of cruelty, murder, rapine, 
bloodshed, [They may thank their own obstinacy, cried 
Dr. Slop,] have all been sanctified by religion not strictly 
governed by morality. 

265. Experienced schoolmasters may quickly make a 
grammar of boys' natures, and reduce them all (saving 
some few exceptions) to certain general rules. 

266. Ingenious boys, who are idle, think, with the hare 
in the fable, that, running with snails, (so they count the 
rest of their school-fellows,) they shall come soon enough 
to the post; though sleeping a good while before their 
starting. 



LESSON XVII. 

THE DASH. 

TJie Dash is a straight mark like this — 

The dash is sometimes used to express a sudden stop, or 
change in the subject. 

Sometimes the dash requires a pause no longer than e 
comma, and sometimes a longer pause than a period. 

The dash is frequently used instead of crotchets or brackets, 
and a parenthesis is thus placed between two dashes. [See 
Number 281.] 

The dash is sometimes used to precede something unex- 
pected; as when a sentence beginning seriously ends hu- 
morously. [See Numbers 311 to 318.] 

In the following sentences the dash expresses a sudden stop, 
or change of the subject. 

EXAMPLES. 

267. If you will give me your attention, I will show you — 
but stop, I do not know that you wish to see. 



52 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

268. Alas ! that folly and falsehood should be so hard 
to grapple with — but he that hopes to make mankind the 
wiser for his labors, must not be soon tired. 

209. I stood to hear — I love it well — the rain's con- 
tinuous sound ; small drops, but thick and fast they fell, 
down straight into the ground. 

270. He set up the most piercing and dreadful cries that 
fear ever uttered — I may well term them dreadful, for they 
haunted my sleep for years afterwards. 

271. Each zone obeys thee — thou goest forth dread, 
fathomless, alone. 

272. Please your honors, quoth Trim, the inquisition is 

the vilest . Prithee spare thy description, Trim. I 

hate the very name of it, said my father. 

273. The fierce wolf prowls around thee — there he 
stands listening — not fearful, for he nothing fears. 

274. The wild stag hears thy falling waters' sound, and 
tremblingly flies forward — o'er his back he bends his state- 
ly horns — the noiseless ground his hurried feet impress not 
— and his track is lost amidst the tumult of the breeze, and 
the leaves falling from the rustling trees. 

275. The wild horse thee approaches in his turn. His 
mane stands up erect — his nostrils burn — he snorts — he 
pricks his ears — and starts aside. 

276. The music ceased, and Hamish Fraser, on coming 
back into the shealing, (or shed,) said, I see two men on 
horseback coming up the glen — one is on a white horse. 
Ay — blessed be God, that is the good priest — now will I 
die in peace. My last earthly thoughts are gone by — he 
will show me the salvation of Christ — the road that leadeth 
to eternal life. 

277. There was silence — not a word was said — their 
meal was before them — God had been thanked, and they 
began to eat. 

277. They hear not — see not — know not — for their 
eyes are covered with thick mists — they will not see. 

278. The God of gods stood up — stood up to try the 
assembled gods of earth. 

279. And ye like fading autumn leaves will fall ; your 
throne but dust — your empire but a grave — your martial 
pomp a black funereal pail — your palace trampled by your 
meanest slave. 

280. To-day is thine — improve to-day, nor trust to- 
morrow's distant ray. 



IN READING. 53 

281. And thus, in silent waiting, stood the piles of stone 
and piles of wood ; till Death, who, in his vast affairs, never 
puts things off — as men in theirs — and thus, if I the truth 
must tell, does his work finally and well — winked at our 
hero as he passed, — Your house is finished, sir, at last; 
a narrower house- 1 - a house of clay — your palace for 
another day. 

282. For some time the struggle was most amusing — the 
fish pulling, and the bird screaming with all its might — the 
one attempting to fly, and the other to swim from its invisi- 
ble enemy — the gander at one moment losing and the next 
regaining his center of gravity. 

The dash is sometimes to be read as a period } with the falling 
inflection of the voice. 

283. The favored child of nature, who combines in her- 
self these united perfections, may justly be considered as the 
masterpiece of creation — as the most perfect image of the 
Divinity here below. 

284. Now launch the boat upon the wave — ihe wind is 
blowing off the shore— I will not live a cowering slave, in 
these polluted islands more. 

285. The wind is blowing off the shore, and out to sea 
the streamers fly — my music is the dashing roar, my canopy 
the stainless sky — it bends above, so fair a blue, that heaven 
seems opening to my view. 

288. He had stopped soon after beginning the tale — he 
had laid the fragment away among his papers, and had never 
looked at it again. 

287. The exaltation of his soul left him — he sunk down 
— and his misery went over him like a flood. 

288. IVlay their fate be a mock-word — may men of all 
lands laugh out with a scorn that shall ring to the poles. 

239. You speak like a boy — like a boy who thinks the 
old gnarled oak can be twisted as easily as the young 
sapling. 

299. I am vexed for the bairns — I am vexed when I 
think of Robert and Hamish living their father's life — But 
let us say no more of this. 

291. He hears a noise — he is all awake — again he 
hears a noise — on tiptoe do*vn the hill he softly creeps — 
'Tis Goody Blake! She is at the hedge of Harry Gill. 

292. Mr. Plavfair was too indulgent, in truth, and favora- 

5* 



54 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

ble to his friends — and made a kind of liberal allowance for 
the faults of all mankind — except onfy faults of baseness or 
of cruelty ; against which he never failed to manifest the 
most open scorn and detestation. 

293. Towards women he had the most chivalrous feelings 
of regard and attention, and was, beyond almost all men, 
acceptable and agreeable in their society — though with- 
out the least levity or pretension unbecoming his age or 
condition. 

The dash is sometimes to be read like a comma, with the 
voice suspended. [See Lesson 92/&.] 

294. Vain men, whose brains are dizzy with ambition, 
bright your swords — your garments flowery, like a plain in 
the spring-time — if truth be your delight, and virtue your 
devotion, let your sword be bared alone at wisdom's sacred 
word. 

295. I have always felt that I could meet death with com- 
posure ; but I did not know, she said, with a tremulous voice, 
her lips quivering — I did not know how hard a thing it 
would be to leave my children, till now that the hour is 
come. 

296. The mountain — thy pall and thy prison — may 
keep thee. 

297. And Babylon shall become — she that was the 
beauty of kingdoms, the glory of the pride of the Chal- 
deans — as the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah by the 
hand of God. 

298. Our land — the first garden of liberty's tree — it has 
been, and shall yet be, the land of the free. 

299. Earth may hide — waves ingulf — fire consume us, 
but they shall not to slavery doom us. 

300. They shall find that the name which they have 
dared to proscribe — that the name of Mac Gregor is a spell. 

301. You must think hardly of us — and it is not natural 
that it should be otherwise. 

302. Delightful in his manners — inflexible in his prin- 
ciples — and generous in his affections, he had all that could 
charm in society, or attach in private. 

303. The joys of life in hurried exile go — till hope's fair 
smile, and beauty's ray of light, are shrouded in the griefs 
and storms of night. 

304. Day after day prepares the funeral shroud ; the 



IN READING. 55 

world is gray with age : — the striking hour is but an echo 
of death's summons loud — the jarring of the dark grave's 
prison door. Into its deep abyss — devouring all — kings 
and the friends of kings alike must fall. 

305. No persuasion could induce little Flora to leave the 
shealing — and Hamish Fraser was left to sit with her all 
night beside the bed. 

306. One large star arose in heaven — and -a wide white 
glimmer over a breaking mass of clouds told that the moon 
was struggling through, and in another hour, if the upper 
current of air flowed on, would be apparent. 

307. He was too weak, however, to talk — he could only 
look his thanks. 

308. She made an effort to put on something like mourn- 
ing for her son ; and nothing could be more touching than 
this struggle between pious affection and utter poverty : a 
black ribbon or so — a faded black handkerchief, and one 
or two more such humble attempts to express by outward 
signs that grief that passeth show. 

309. One great clime, whose vigorous offspring by di- 
viding ocean are kept apart, and nursed in the devotion of 
freedom which their fathers fought for and bequeathed — a 
heritage of heart and hand, and proud distinction from each 
other land, whose sons must bow them at a monarch's mo 
tion, as if his senseless scepter were a wand full of the 
magic of exploded science — still one great clime, in full 
and free defiance, yet rears her crest, unconquered and sub- 
lime, above the far Atlantic. 

The dash sometimes precedes something unexpected ; as 
when a sentence beginning seriously ends humorously . 

310. Good people all, with one accord, lament for Madam 
Blaize ; who never wanted a good word — from those who 
spoke her praise. 

311. The needy seldom passed her door, and always found 
her kind; she freely lent to all the poor — who left a pledge 
behind. 

312. She strove the neighborhood to please, with manner 
wondrous winning; and never followed wicked ways — ex- 
cept when she was sinning. 

313. At church, in silks and satin new, with hoop of 
monstrous size, she never slumbered in her pew — but when 
she shut her eyes. 



56 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



314. Her love was sought, I do aver, by twenty beaux, 
and more; the king himself has followed her — when she 
has walked before. 

315. But now, her wealth and finery fled, her hangers-on 
cut short all; her doctors found, when she was dead — her 
last disorder mortal. 

316. Let us lament, in sorrow sore; fox Kent Street well 
may say, that, had she lived a twelve-month more — she had 
not died to-day. 

The dash is sometimes used with other pauses to lengthen 
them. 

317. That God whom you see me daily worship, whom 
I daily call upon to bless both you and me and all mankind; 
whose wondrous acts are recorded in those Scriptures which 
you constantly read, — that God who created the heavens 
and the earth ; who appointed his Son Jesus Christ to re- 
deem mankind: — this God, who has done all these great 
things, who has created so many millions of men, with whom 
the spirits of the good will live and be happy forever ; — 
this great God, the Creator of worlds of angels, and of men, 
is your Father and Friend. 

318. It is not, therefore, the use of the innocent amuse- 
ments of life which is dangerous, but the abuse of them ; — 
it is not when they are occasionally, but when they are con- 
stantly pursued; when the love of amusement degenerates 
into a passion, and when, from being an occasional indul- 
gence, it becomes an habitual desire. 

319. In every pursuit, whatever gives strength and energy 
to the mind of man, experience teaches to be favorable to 
the interests of piety, of knowledge, and of virtue; — in 
every pursuit, on the contrary, whatever enfeebles or limits 
the powers of the mind, the same experience ever shows to 
be hostile to the best interests of human nature. 

320. From the first hour of existence to the last, — from 
the cradle of the infant, beside which the mother watches 
withunslumbering eye, to the grave of the aged, where the son 
pours his last tears upon the bier of his father, — in all that 
intermediate time, every day calls for exertion and activity, 
and moral honors can only be won by the steadfast mag- 
nanimity of pious duty. 

321. They say they, have bought it. — Bought it! Yes; 
— of whom? — Of the poor trembling natives, who knew 



IN READING. 57 

ihat refusal would be vain ; and who strove to make a merit 
of necessity, by seeming to yield with grace, what they knew 
they had not the power to retain. 

322. We gazed on the scenes, while around us thev 
glowed, when a vision of beauty appeared on the cloud; — 
it was not like the sun, as at mid-day we view, nor the moon, 
that rolls nightly through star-light and blue. 

323. It is not the lifeless mass of matter, he will then 
feer, that he is examining, — it is the mighty machine of 
Eternal Wisdom : the workmanship of Him, in whom every 
thing lives, and moves, and has its being. 

324. The expanding rose, just bursting into beauty, has 
an irresistible bewitchingness; — the blooming bride led 
triumphantly to the hymeneal altar, awakens admiration and 
interest, and the blush of her cheek fills with delight; — but 
the charm of maternity is more sublime than all these. 

325. But Winter has yet brighter scenes; — he boasts 
splendors beyond what gorgeous Summer knows, or Au- 
tumn, with his many fruits and woods, all flushed with many 
hues. 

326. When suffering the inconveniences of the ruder 
parts of the year, we may be tempted to wonder why this 
rotation is necessary; — why we could not be constantly 
gratified with vernal bloom and fragrance, or summer beauty 
and profusion. ♦ 

327. I feared, — said the youth, with a tear in his eye, — 
I feared that the brute's voice, and the trampling of the 
horse's feet, would disturb her. 

328. Then a spirit passed before my face ; the hair of my 
flesh stood up : It stood still, but I could not discern the 
form thereof: an image was before mine eyes: — There 
was silence, and I heard a voice — Shall mortal man be 
more just than God ? 

The dash is sometimes to be read as a question. 

329. Is it not enough to see our friends die, and part with 
them for the remainder of our days — to reflect that we shall 
hear their voices no more, and that they will never look on 
us again — to see that turning to corruption, which was but 
just now alive, and eloquent, and beautiful with all the 
sensations of the soul 1 

330. He hears the ravens cry ; and shall he not hear, and 
will he not avenge, the wrongs that his nobler animals su£ 



5S INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

fer — wrongs that cry out against man from youth to age, in 
the city, and in the field, by the way and by the fireside? 

331. Can we view their bloody edicts against us — their 
hanging, heading, hounding, and hunting down an ancient 
and honorable name — as deserving better treatment than 
that which enemies give to enemies? 

332. Are these the pompous tidings ye proclaim, lights 
of the world, and demi-gods of fame ? Is this your triumph — 
this your proud applause, children of truth, and champions 
of her cause? 

333. Still what are you but a robber — a base, dishonest 
robber ? [See Lesson 3rf, page 21th.] 

334. Was there ever a bolder captain of a more valiant 
band ? Was there ever — but I scorn to boast. 

335. And what if thou shalt fall unnoticed by the liv- 
ing — and no friend take note of thy departure? 

336. Seest thou yon lonely cottage in the grove — with 
little garden neatly planned before — its roof deep-shaded 
by the elms above, moss-grown, and decked with velvet 
verdure o'er? 

337. What shall we call them? — Piles of crystal light — 
a glorious company of golden streams — lamps of celestial 
ether burning bright — suns lighting systems with their joy- 
ous beams? [See Lesson 5th, page 28th.] 

338. Can you renounce a fortune so sublime — such 
glorious hopes — your backward steps to steer, and roll, 
with vilest brutes, through mud and slime ? No 1 no ! your 
heaven-touched hearts disdain the sordid crime! 

The dash is sometimes to be read like an exclamation. 

339. Now for the fight — now for the cannon-peal — for- 
ward — through blood, and toil, and cloud, and fire 1 

340. They shake — like broken waves their squares re- 
tire, — on them, hussars ! Now give them rein and heel ; 
think of the orphaned child, the murdered sire: — earth 
cries for blood, — in thunder on them wheel ! This hour to 4 
Europe's fate shall set the triumph seal ! 

341. What dreadful pleasure! there to stand sublime, 
like shipwrecked mariner on desert coast, and see the enor- 
mous waste of vapor, tossed in billows lengthening to the 
horizon round, now scooped in gulfs, with mountains now 
embossed — - and hear the voice of mirth and song rebound, 
flocks, herds, and waterfalls, along the hoar profound ! 



IN HEADING. 59 

342. The chain of being is complete in me; in me is 
matter's last gradation lost, and the next step is spirit — 
Deity! I can command the lightning, and am dust! 

343. Sadly to Blount did Eustace say, Unworthy office 
here to stay! no hope of gilded spurs to-day — but, see, 
look up — on Flodden bent, the Scottish foe has fired 
his tent. 

344. Good God ! that in such a proud moment of life, 
worth ages.df history — when, had you but hurled one bolt 
at your bloody invader, that strife .between freemen and 
tyrants had spread through the w T orld ; that then — O, dis- 
grace upon manhood! e'en then you should falter — should 
cling to your pitiful breath, — cower down into beasts, when 
you might have stood men ; and prefer a slave's life to a 
glorious death ! 

345. Beneath the very shadow of the fort, where friendly 
Bwords were drawn, and banners flew, ah! who could deem 
that foot of Indian crew was near ? — Yet there, with lust of 
murderous deeds, gleamed like a basilisk, from woods in 
view, the ambushed foeman's eye — His volley speeds, and 
Albert — Albert — falls! the dear old father bleeds! 

346. Above me are the 'Alps, the palaces of Nature, 
whose vast walls have pinnacled in clouds their snowy scalps, 
and throned Eternity in icy halls of cold sublimity, where 
forms and falls the avalanche — the thunderbolt of snow ! 

347. Now, now, the secret I implore; out with it — speak 

— discover — utter ! 

348. Peace ! I'd not go if staying here would strew his 
hoar hairs in the tomb — not stir, by Heaven! Must I toss 
counters ? sum the odds of life, when honor points the way ? 

— When was the blood of Douglas precious in a noble cause ? 

349. How has expectation darkened into anxiety — anxie- 
ty into dread — and dread into despair! Alas! not one 
memento shall ever return for love to cherish. All that shall 
ever be known is, that she sailed from her port, and was 
never heard of more. 

350. A measure of corn would hardly suffice me fine flour 
enough for a month's provision, and this arises to above six 
score bushels ; and many hogsheads of wine and other liquors 
have passed through this body of mine — this wretched 
strainer of meat and drink ! And what have I done all this 
time for God and man? What a vast profusion of good 
things upon a useless life and a worthless liver ! 

351. Ay, cluster there, cling to your masters; judges, 
Romans — slaves! 



60 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

LESSON XVIII. 

THE HYPHEN. 

The Hyphen is a little mark like this - It resembles a 
dash, but is not so long. 

The hyphen is used to separate the syllables of a word; 
or to make one word of two ; as, semi-circle, sea-water. 

When there is not room enough in the line for the whole 
of a word, some of its syllables are put into the line ivith a 
hyphen, and the remainder in the next line: as, extraor- 
dinary. 

When a hyphen is placed over the letters a, c, i, o, u, or y, 
it shows that they have their long sound. 

[The pupil may tell for what purpose the hyphen is used 
in the following words.] 

352. Extraneous, sea-water, semi-circle, demi-gods, Seeth- 
ing-hal), Moss-side, plane-trees, bed-side, Birk-knowe, over- 
canopied, toil-hardened, gray-haired, to-morrow, Sabbath- 
day, Sardanapalus, ill-requited, thunder-cloud, European, 
Epicurean, pine-covered, clay-cold, snow-clad, parish-clerk, 
night-steed, moon-eyed, azure, all-wise, edict, fellow-crea- 
tures, Icy, well-founded, omega, fellow-feeling, uniform, 
prophesy, earth-born, far-wandering, storm-clouds, hyme- 
neal, chamber, either, fairy, lever, apiary, culinary. 



LESSON XIX. 

ELLIPSIS. 

Ellipsis means an omission of some xoord or words.* 
Sometimes a sentence is unfinished, or some parts of it are 

=& The ellipsis sometimes refers to syllables or letters only. Claris New 
Grammar, page 197. 



IN READING. 61 

purposely omitted ; and the mark which indicates an ellipsis, 
is put in the place of that which is left out. 

An ellipsis is somcthnes indicated by a mark like this 
, which resembles a dash lengthened. 

Sometimes the ellipsis is denoted by asterisks, or stars, like 
these ****** 

Sometimes the ellipsis is marked by small dots, or periods, 
like these 

And sometimes the ellipsis is indicated by hyphens, like 
these - 

The ellipsis sometimes so closely resembles a dash that it 
is scarcely distinguishable from it. 

The voice is generally suspended at an ellipsis; but the 
falling inflection is frequently used when the ellipsis follows 
a question or exclamation. In some of the following sentences^ 
the dash and ellipsis are both used. 

EXAMPLES. 

353. Hast thou But how shall I ask a question 

which must bring tears into so many eyes! 

354. The air breathes invitation ; easy is the walk to 

the lake's margin, where a boat lies moored beneath her 

sheltering tree. — 

********** 

Forth we went, and down the valley, on the streamlet's 
bank, pursued our way, a broken company, mute or con- 
versing, single or in pairs. 

355. Who is here so vile, that will not love his country? 
if any, speak; for him have I offended, — I pause for a 
reply 

None ! then none have I offended. 

356. It is in vain to explain : — the time it would take to 
reveal to you 

Satisfy my curiosity in writing them. 

357. Indeed he is very ill, sir, Can't help it.- 

We are very distressed, Can't help it. Our poor 

children, too Can't help that, neither. 

358. Now, if he had married a woman with money, you 
know, why, then 

The suppliant turned pale, and would have fainted. 

359. I have been, my dear S on an excursion 

through the counties which lie along the eastern side of the 
Blue Ridge. 

4 



62 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



360. You have my answer: * * * — let my actions 
speak. 

361. No, no, Dionysius; remember that it was I alone 
who displeased thee: Damon could not 

362. If he were all Remember haughty Henry, the 

nephew of his wife, whose word could speed a veteran army 
to his kinsman's aid. 

363. I would not wound thee, Douglas, well thou know- 
<est; but thus to hazard on a desperate cast thy golden 

fortunes 



364. For thy father's sake 

Peace ! I'd not go if staying here would strew his hoar 
hairs in the tomb not stir, by Heaven ! 

365. Nay, hear me, hear me, Douglas 

— Talk to me of dangers? Death and shame! is not my 
face as high, as ancient, and as proud as thine ? 

366. Still must I wonder ; for so dark a cloud 

Oh, deeper than thou think'st I've read thy heart. 

367. Your grace will pardon me for obeying — 

Say no more, my child ; you are yet too raw to make 
proper distinctions. 

368. Let them or suppose I address myself to 

some particular sufferer — there is something more confi- 
dential in that manner of communicating one's ideas — as 
Moore* says, Heart speaks to heart — I say, then, take, es- 
pecial care to write by candle-light. 

369. To such unhappy persons, in whose miseries 1 

deeply sympathize - Have I not groaned under 

similar horrors? 

370. That spares manual labor — this would relieve from 

mental drudgery, and thousands yet unborn But hold ! 

I am not so sure that the female sex in general may quite 
enter into my views on the subject. 

371 I am glad to see you well: Horatio or I do 

forget myself. 

372. Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven, or ever 
I had seen that day, Horatio ! 

My father methinks I see my father. 



IN READING. 63 

LESSON XX. 

APOSTROPHE, QUOTATION, AND DIURESIS. 

An Apostrophe is a mark which differs from a comma only 
in being placed above the line; thus 5 

The apostrophe shows that some letter or letters are left 
out ; as, 'tis for it is, tho' for though, lov'd for loved. 

The apostrophe is likewise used in grammar to designate 
the possessive case; as, John's book. 

A Quotation consists of four commas or apostrophes ; two 
placed at the beginning and two at the end of a word, sentence, 
or part of a sentence* The two which are placed at the be- 
ginning are inverted, or upside down. 

A quotation shows that the word or sentence was spoken by 
some one, or was taken from some other author. 

A Diceresis consists of two periods placed over a vowel; 
thus, a. 

TJie diceresis shows that the letter over which it is placed is 
to be pronounced separately ; as, creator, Zoonomia, aerial. 

[In this lesson the pupil is to recognize each of the above-men- 
tioned marks, and explain their use.] 

EXAMPLES. ' 

373. The fox-howl's heard on the fell (or hill) afar.* 

374. The kindling fires o'er heaven so bright, look sweetly 
out from yon azure sea. 

375. Banished from Rome ! what's banished, but set free 



*. In this lesson, as well as in some of the preceding- lessons, there are several 
sentences of poetry, which are not divided into poetical lines. The reason of 
this is, that, in the opinion of the author, poetical lines should not he read by 
the pupil, without special instruction to avoid that " sing song" utterance, into 
which he is too apt to fall in reading verse. This subject is reserved for the 
36th lesson, where it is fully exemplified. It remains to be observed here, that 
abbreviations and contractions, such as occur in the poetical sentences in this 
lesson and others, which appear in the form of prose, are not allowable in 
prose itself. This explanation appears to be necessary, lest the authority of 
this book should be quoted by the pupil for the use of abbreviations in prose. 



64 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



from daily contact of the things I loathe? " Tried and con- 
victed traitor" — Who says this? Who'll prove it, at his 
peril, on ray head? " Banished?" — I thank you for't. It 
breaks my chain ! I held some slack allegiance till this 
hour — but now my sword's my own. 

376. Your consul's merciful. For this all thanks. He 

dares not touch a hair of Catiline. " Traitor ! " I go 

but I return. This trial ! Here I devote your senate ! 

I've had wrongs, to stir a fever in the blood of age. * * * * * 
This day is the birth of sorrows. 

377. The eye could at once command a long-stretching 
vista, seemingly closed and shut up at both extremities by 
the coalescing cliffs. 

378. It seemed like Laocoon struggling ineffectually in 
the hideous coils of the monster Python. 

379. In those mournful months, when vegetables and 
animals are alike coerced by cold, man is tributary to the 
howling storm, and the sullen sky; and is, in the pathetic 
phrase of Johnson, a " slave to gloom." 

380. I would call upon all the true sons of humanity to 
cooperate with the laws of man and the justice of Heaven in 
abolishing this " cursed traffic." 

381. Come, faith, and people these deserts! Come and* 
reanimate these regions of forgetfulness. 

382. I am a professed lucubrator; and who so well qual- 
ified to delineate the sable hours, as 

" A meagre, muse-rid mope, adust and thin ! " 

383. He forsook, therefore, the bustling tents of his 
father, the pleasant " south country" and "well of La- 
hairoi;" he went out and pensively meditated at the even- 
tide. 

384. The Grecian and Roman philosophers firmly be- 
lieved that "the dead of midnight is the noon of thought."' 

385. Young observes, with energy, that " an undevout 
astronomer is mad" 

386. Young Blount his armor did unlace, and, gazing on 
his ghastly face, said — "By Saint George, he's gone! that 
spear-wound has our master sped ; and see the deep cut 
on his head! Good night to Marmion ! " — "Unnurtured 
Blount ! thy brawling cease • he opes his eyes," said Eustace, 
"peace!" — 



IX READING. 65 

3S7. The first sentence, with which he broke the awful 
silence, was a quotation from Rousseau : " Socrates died 
like a philosopher, but Jesus Christ like a God!" 

3S3 A celebrated modern writer says, " Take care of 
the minutes, and the hours will take care of themselves." 
This is an admirable remark, and might be very seasonably 
recollected when we begin to be " weary in well doing," 
from the thought of having much to do. 

389. I've seen the moon gild the mountain's* brow; I've 
watched the mist o'er the river stealing; but ne'er did I feel 
in my breast, till now, so deep, so calm, and so holy a feeling : 
'tis soft as the thrill which memory throws athwart the soul 
in the hour of repose. 

390. Blest be the day I 'scaped the wrangling crew from 
Pyrrho's * maze and Epicurus' * sty ; and held high converse 
with the godlike few, who to th' enraptured heart, and ear, 
and eye, teach beauty, virtue, truth, and love, and melody. 

391. But thou, who Heaven's* just vengeance dar'st defy, 
this deed, with fruitless tears, shalt soon deplore. 

392. O Winter 1 ruler of the inverted year ! thy scatter'd 
hair with sleet-like ashes filPd, thy breath congeal' d upon thy 
lips, thy cheeks fring'd with a beard made white with other 
snows than those of age, thy forehead wrapt in clouds, a 
leafless branch thy scepter, and thy throne a sliding car, in- 
debted to no wheels, but urg'd by storms along its slipp'ry 
way, I love thee, all unlovely as thou seem'st, and dreaded 
as thou art ! 

393. For, as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I 
found an altar with this inscription, " To the unknown 
God." Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare 
I unto you. 



=£ The apostrophe in these vrords is the sign of the possessive case. See Clarfcs 
Nevj Grammar, page 49 and 50. 

6* 



66 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



LESSON XXI. 

THE ASTERISK, OBELISK, DOUBLE OBE- 
LISK, SECTION, PARALLELS, PARAGRAPH. 
INDEX, CARET, BREVE, AND BRACE.* 

The pupil will take particular notice of the following 
marks, so that he may call them by name, and explain their 
use in the following lesson. 

This mark * is called an Asterisk, or Star. 

This mark f is called an Obelisk. 

This mark J is called a Double Obelisk. 

This mark fl is called a Paragraph. 

This mark § is called a Section. 

These marks || are called Parallels. 

Tlie Asterisk, Obelisk, Double Otielisk, Paragraph, Sec- 
tion, Parallel, and sometimes figures, or letters, are used to 
show that there is a note at the bottom of the page. Wlien 
many notes occur on a page, these marks art sometimes 
doubled. [See next page.] 

The Paragraph f[ is used to show the beginning of a new 
subject. 

The Section § is also used to divide chapters into less 
pai*ts. 

The Index or Hand (JJ^ points to something which re- 
quires particular attention. 

The Breve w is placed over a letter to show that it has a 
short sound; as, Helena. 

The Brace > is used to unite several lines of poetry, or 
to connect a number ofioords with one common term. 

The Caret A is never used in printed books ; but in wri- 
ting it shows that something has accidentally been left out ; as, 

recited 

George has his lesson. 

A 



=& The teacher will find in Clark's New Grammar, Part IV., page 191 and 
196, a complete enumeration of all the marks used in written langTiag-e, with 
rules, observations, and practical exercises for the pupil i;i the use of them. 



IN READING. " 67 

O 3 When several asterisks or stars are placed together, they repre- 
sent an ellipsis. [See Lesson 19th.] 

EXAMPLES. 

394. Many persons pronounce the word Helena,* incor- 
rectly. They call it Helena ; and the words acceptable, rec- 
ognize, Epicure'an, and European, are frequently incorrectly 
called acceptable, recognize, Epicurean, and Euro'pean. 

395. The leprosy, therefore, of Naaman shall cleave unto 
thee. * * * * And he went out from his presence a leper 
as white as snow. 

39G. The Cougar f is the largest animal of the cat kind, 
found in North America ; and has occasionally received the 
name of the American lion, from the similarity of its pro- 
portions and color to those of the lion of the old world. 

397. The keeper of the elephant gave him a gallon of 
* arrack, J which rendered the animal very furious. 

398. I fell upon my knees on the bank, with my two 
servants, and the dragoman § of the monastery. 

399. The history of Joseph is exceedingly interesting 
and instructive.]! 

400. It was a cave, a huge recess, that keeps, till June, 
December's snow; a lofty precipice in front, a silent 
tarn fl below. 

401. C-e-o-u-s, ^ 

c, "•" " ' V are pronounced like shiis. 
S-c-i-o-u-s, ( r 

T-i-o-u-s, 3 

402. See where the rector's ** splendid mansion stands, 
embossed deep in new enclosed lands, — lands wrested from 
the indigent and poor, because, forsooth, he holds the village 
cure. ft 

403. When the young blood danced jocund through his 
veins, 'tis said his sacred stole tf received some stains. 

404. Their wants are promised Bridewell,§§ or the stocks. 

* This is the name of a small island situated on the west of Africa, noted 
for the exile of Napoleon Bonaparte. 

f Pronounced Cool-gar. The name given to this animal, by the country 
people, generally, is painter, evidently a corruption of 'panther, 

\ Arrack is a very strong- spirituous liquor. 

$ Bragomu:i means an interpreter. 

i| The whole history of Joseph will be found in the Bible 3 from the 3?ih 
chapter to the end of the book of Genesis. 

% Tan is a small lake, high up in the mountains. 

** A clergyman. ff Cure, — The office of a clergyman. 

\] Stole, — A long robe worn by the clergy of England. 

§§ B idcwell,— A house of correction. 



68 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

LESSON XXII. 

ACCENT. 

Accent is the peculiar tone or force given to some letter or 
syllable of a word. 

There are three accents, the Acute, the Grave, and the 
Circumflex, 

The acute accent is noted by a mark like this ' placed over 
a letter or syllable, as in the word Epicurean. 

The grave accent is represented by a mark like this v 
placed over a letter or syllable, as in the word Clessammor. 

The circumflex accent is distinguished by a mark like 
this A placed over a letter or syllable. 

The letter or syllable over which either of the accents is 
placed, is to be pronounced more forcibly than the other parts 
of the same WGrd; as, recognize, Reuthamir, Fingal. 

The ivord or syllable over which the acute accent is placed, 
must be pronounced with the rising inflection of the voice; as, 
recognize, Epicure'an, acceptable. 

The word or syllable over ivhich the grave accent is placed 
must be pronounced with the falling inflection of the voice; as, 
Reuthamir, Clessammor. 

The word or syllable over which the circumflex accent is 
'placed, must be pronounced partly with the rising and partly 
with the falling inflection of the voice. If it begin with the ris- 
ing and end with the falling, it is called the falling circumflex ; 
but if it begin with the falling and end with the rising, it is 
called the rising circumflex. 

The circumflex accent is sometimes used, to express the 
broad sound of a letter, as in Fingal, in which the a is 
pronounced as in the word fall. 

In every word of more than one syllable, there is one [and 
sometimes more than one) ivhich must be pronounced more 
forcibly than the others ; and the acute accent is often used 
to show which this syllable is. The syllable thus pronounced 
is called the accented syllabic; as, cap'illary, red'olent, ax'iom. 

The acute, grave, and circumflex accents are sometimes 
used to direct the management of the voice in reading sen- 
tences : the acute accent indicating the rising, the grave the 



IN READING. 69 

falling inflection of the voice, and the circumflex both the 
rising and falling united. When the circumflex is used to 
indicate a sound commencing with the rising and ending 
icith the falling inflection, it is printed thus, " ; but when 
the sound commences with the falling and ends with tlie 
rising inflection, it is printed thus, v , which the pupil will 
perceive is the same mark inverted. 

[The pupil may now read the following sentences, recol- 
lecting to manage his voice, when he meets the respective 
marks of accent, as directed above.] 

405. Did they recite correctly, or incorrectly? 

406. They recited correctly, not incorrectly. 

407. Did they speak properly, or improperly ? 

408. They spoke properly, not improperly. 

409. Did Charles go willingly, or unwillingly? 

410. Charles went willingly, not unwillingly. 

411. Did you say Epicurean, or Epicurean? 

412. I said Epicurean, not Epicurean. I know better 
than to say so. 

413. You must not say acceptable, but acceptable. 

414. You must not pronounce that word recognize, but 
recognize. 

415. We must act according to the law, not contrary to it. 

416. Did he say wisdom, or wisdom? 

417. He said wisdom, not wisdom. 

418. What must the King do now? Must he submit ? 
The King shall do it: must he be deposed? 
The King shall be contented : must he lose 
The name of King? — lei it go ! 

419. I'll give my jewels, for a set of beads ; 
My gorgeous palace, for a hermitage; 
My gay apparel, for an almsman's gown; 
My figured goblets, for a dish of wood ; 
My scepter, for a painter's walking staff; 
My subjects, for a pair of carved saints : 
And my large kingdom, for a little grave: 
A little, little grave — an obscure grave. 

420. Art thou poor ? Show thyself active and indus- 
trious, peaceable and contented : Art thou wealthy? Show 
thyself beneficent and charitable, condescending and hu- 
mane-. 



70 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

421. This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this 
mortal must put on immortality. 

422. Religion raises men above themselves; irreligion 
sinks them beneath the brutes. 

423. And if you do, you will but make it blush, and glow 
with shame of your proceedings, Hubert. 

424. Hamlet, you have your father much offended. 

425. Madam, you have my father much offended. 

426. If you said so, then I said so. 

427. No, say you ; did he say No ? He did ; he said N6. 

428. Is the goodness, or the wisdom of the divine Being 
more manifest in this his proceeding? 

429. Shall we in your person crown the author of the 
public calamities, or shall we destroy him? 

430. From whence can he produce such cogent exhorta- 
tions to the practice of every virtue, such ardent excitement 
to piety and devotion, and such assistance to attain' them, as 
those which are to be met with throughout every page of 
these inimitable writings? 

431. Where, amidst the dark clouds of Pagan philosophy, 
can he show us such a clear prospect of a future state, the 
immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the dead, and 
the general judgment, as in St. Paul's first epistle to the 
Corinthians? 

432. Would it not employ a beau prettily enough, if, in- 
stead of eternally playing with his snuff-box, he spent some 
time in making one? 

433. Would an infinitely wise Being make such glorious 
beings for so mean a purpose? Can he delight in the pro- 
duction of such abortive intelligences, such short-lived rea- 
sonable beings ? Would he give us talents that are not to be 
exerted, "capacities that are not to be gratified? 

434. Whither shall I turn? Wretch that I am! to what 
place shall I betake myself? Shall I go to the capitol? 
Alas! it is overflowed with my brother's blood! Or shall I 
retire to my house? Yet there I behold my mother plunged 
in misery, weeping and despairing ! 

435. King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know 
that thou believest. 

436. Art thou he that should come, or shall we look for 
another? 

437. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, — or of 
men? * 



IN READING. 71 

438. Will you go, — or stay ? Will you ride, — or walk 1 
Will you go to-day, — or to-morrow? 

439. Did you see him, — or his brother? Did he travel 
for health, — or pleasure? 

440. Did he resemble his father, — or his mother ? Is 
this book yours, — or mine? 

441. Was it ar'med, say you? 'Armed, my lord. From 
top to toe ? My lord, from head to foot. 

442. Then saw you not his face? Oh yes, my lord, he 
wore his beaver up. 

443. I did not say a better soldier, but an elder. 

444. Aim not to show knowledge, but to acquire it. 

445. Did I say go, — or go ? 

446. Hence ! — home, you idle creatures, get you home. 
You blocks, you stones! you worse than senseless things! 

447. Get thee behind me, Satan. No. You did not 
read that right. You should say, Get thee behind me, 
Satan. 

448. 'Angels and ministers of grace, defend us. 

449. Jesus, Master ! have mercy on us.* 

450. Charity suffereth long, and is kind ; charity envieth 
not; charity vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up; doth not 
behave itself unseemly ; seeketh not her own ; is not easily 
provoked : thinketh no evil. 

451. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and un- 
derstand all mysteries, and all knowledge ; and though I 
have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have 
not charity, I am nothing. 

452. I tell you, though you, though all the world, though 
an angel from heaven, should declare the truth of it, I could 
not believe it. 

453. I tell you, though you, though all the world, though 
an angel from heaven, should declare the truth of it, I could 
not believe it. 

454. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus. 

455. You wrong me every way, you wrong me, Brutus. 
[The pupil may say which is the correct way of reading these 
two sentences.'] # 

* This impassioned expression of the ten lepers to our Savior is most fre- 
quently read from the sacred desk with the acute accent. The author thinks 
that due reflection will convince every one that it thereby loses a great portion 
of its force and feeling. The grave accent is on many, perhaps on all occa- 
sions, expressive of a tone of much deeper emotion than that indicated by the 
acute accent ; a remark which this sentence will clearly prove. See also 
Numbers 452 and 453, and especially TS1 umber 657, page 108. 



72 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

456. Are you going to Boston ? What did you ask me ? 
Are you going to Boston ? * 

457. They tell us to be moderate ; but they, they are to 
revel in profusion. 

458. I see thou hast learned to rail. 

459. I know that thou art a scoundrel. 

460. Such trifling would not be admitted in the inter 
course of men, and do you think it will avail more with 
Almighty G6d ? 

461. Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great 
thing ? 

462. Talk to me of dangers ? Death and shame ! Is not 
my race as high, as ancient, and as proud as thine ? 

[Let the pupil tell in which of the four ways the following 
sentence should be read.'] 

463. Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss ? 

464. Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss ? 

465. Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss ? 

466. Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss? 

467. Lo ! — have I wandered o'er the hills for this ? 

468. That lulled them, as the north wind does the sea. 

469. For we trust we have a good conscience. 

470. Trust ! Trust we have a good conscience ! 

471. Certainly, Trim, quoth my father, interrupting him, 
you give that sentence a very improper accent ; for you curl 
up your nose, man, and read it with such a sneering tone, 
as if the parson was going to abuse the apostle. 

472. For we trust we have a good conscience. 

473. Trust! Trust we have a good conscience-! 

474. Surely, if there is anything in this life which a man 
may depend upon, and to the knowledge of which he is capa- 
ble of arriving upon the most indisputable evidence, it must 
be this very thing, — whether he has a good conscience 
or no. 

* In all questions which can be answered bv yes or no, (as has been already 
stated, under Lesson 6th,) rising inflection of trie voice is used. But it may 
here be remarked, that when the question is repeated, the repetition is gen- 
eraily accompanied by the failing inflection. But the reason of this is, that 
on the repetition of the question it becomes rather a declaration than a ques- 
tion. Thus, in the question in No. 456, if the person addressed, by reason 
of distance or deafness, does not hear distinctly, and says, What did you 
ask me? the reply would naturally be, / asked you, Are you going to 
Boston. 



IN READING. 73 

475. I am positive I am right, quoth Dr. Slop. 

476. If a man thinks at all, he cannot well be a stranger 
to the true state of this account; — he must be privy to his 
own thoughts and desires — he must remember his past pur- 
suits, and know certainly the true Springs and motives which 
in general have governed the actions of his life. I defy him, 
without an assistant, quoth Dr. Slop. 

477. In other matters w T e may be deceived by false appear- 
ances ; but here the mind has all the evidence and facts 
within herself. 



LESSON XXIII. 

EMPHASIS. 

By Emphasis is meant the force or loudness of voice by 
which we distinguish the principal roord or words in a sen- 
tence. 

To emphasize a word, means to pronounce it in a loud or 
forcible manner. 

The meaning of a sentence, especially if it be a question, 
often depends upon the proper placing of the emphasis. 
Thus : in the sentence*, Shall you ride to town to-day 1 if 
the emphasis be placed upon ride, the question will be, 
Shall you RIDE to. town to-day? — and it may be answered, 
No, I shall not ride, I shall walk. If the emphasis be 
placed upon you, the question then becomes, Shall YOU 
ride to town to-day ? and the answer may be, No, I shall 
not go myself, 1 shall send my son. If the emphasis be 
placed on toum, the question then becomes, Shall you ride 
to TOWN to-day? and the answer may be, No, I shall not 
ride to town, but I shall ride into the country. If the 
emphasis be placed upon day, the question then becomes, 
Shall you ride to town TO-DAY? and the answer may be, 
No, I shall not go to-day, but I shall to-morrow. 

In reading the following sentences, the pupil will em- 
phasize the words in capital letters. 

478. You were paid to FIGHT against Alexander, not to 
RAIL at him. 



74 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



479. And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou DE- 
CEIVED me so? 

4S0. Then said the High Priest, Are these things SO ? 

481. Exercise and temperance strengthen even an IN- 
DIFFERENT constitution. 

482. AGAIN to the battle, Achaians. 

483. I that denied thee GOLD, will give my HEART. 

484. You wronged YOURSELF to write in such a 
case. 

485. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our STARS ; but 
in OURSELVES, that we are underlings. 

486. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy 
brother's eye, but considerest not the BEAM that is in thine 
OWN eye? 

487. And Nathan said unto David, THOU art the man. 

488. A day, an HOUR of virtuous liberty, is worth a 
whole eternity of bondage. * 

489. Fin tortured even to madness when I THINK of 
the p f roud victor. 

490. "Tis all a libel, PAXTON, sir, will say : — 
Not yet, my friend! TO-MORROW, faith, it may; 
And for that very cause I print TO-DAY. 

491. The men whom nature's works can charm, with 
GOD HIMSELF hold converse; grow familiar day by day 
with his conceptions, ACT upon his plan, and form to HIS 
the relish of their souls. 

492. It is equally unjust in thee to put DAMON or ME 
to death: but PYTHIAS were unjust,, did he let Damon 
suffer a death that the tyrant prepared only for PYTHIAS. 

493. What ! does life DISPLEASE thee ? 

Yes ; it displeases me when I see a TYRANT. 

494. BETRAYEST thou the Son of man with a kiss ? 

495. Betrayest THOU the Son of man with a kiss ? 

496. Betrayest thou the SON of man with a kiss ? 

497. Betrayest thou the Son of MAN with a kiss? 

498. Betrayest thou the Son of man with a KISS? 

499. The firmest works of MAN, too, are gradually 
giving way. 

500. And THOU must sail upon this sea, a long event- 
ful voyage. The wise MAY suffer wreck — the foolish 
MUST. 

501. My ear is PAINED, my soul is SICK, with every 
day's report of wrong and outrage, with which earth is 



IN READING. 



FILLED. There is no FLESH in man's obdurate heart, — 
it does not FEEL for man. 

502. Slaves cannot BREATHE in England; if theii 
lungs receive our air, that moment they are FREE. 



LESSON XXIV. 

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EMPHASIS.* 

In sentences where several words are to be emphasized, some 
words receive a stronger emphasis than others. This leads to 
a distinction, called primary and secondary emphasis. The 
'primary emphasis is the stronger emphasis. The secondary 
emphasis is the weaker emphasis ; of which, there are several 
degrees. 

In the following sentences, the words in LARGE CAPL 
TALS are to receive the primary emphasis. Those in small 
capitals are to receive the secondary emphasis, and those in 
Italic an emphasis of less force than those in small capitals. 

503. What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted! 
THRICE is he armed that hath his quarrel just : and he 
but naked, though locked up in STEEL, whose conscience 
with injustice is corrupted. 

504. But winter has yet brighter scenes; — he boasts 
splendors beyond what gorgeous summer knows, — or au- 
tumn with her many fruits and woods, all flushed with 
many hues. 

505. Boisterous in speech, in action prompt and bold. 
He buys, he sells, — he steals, he KILLS for gold. 

506. The combat deepens. ON, ye brave, who rush to 
glory or the grave ! Wave, Munich, all thy banners wave, 
and charge with all thy chivalry. 

507. Oh, fear not thou to die ! But rather fear to LIVE ; 

* Although emphasis generally requires a degree of loudness in the voice, 
yet it is frequently the case that strongly emphatic words should be uttered with 
a deeper rather than a louder tone of voice. This remark can be exemplified 
better by the living teacher than by examples addressed to the eye. 



76 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



for life has thousand snares thy feet to try, by peril, pain, 
and strife. 

508. Yea, long as Nature's humblest child hath kept her 
temple undefined by sinful sacrifice, Earth's fairest scenes are 
all his own : he is a MONARCH, and his throne is built 
amid the skies. 

509. Misses! the tale that I relate this lesson seems 
to carry — Choose not alone a proper mate, but proper 
time to marry. 

510. Son of night, RETIRE; call thy winds and fly: 
Why dost thou come to my presence with thy shadowy 
arms? Do I FEAR thy gloomy form, dismal spirit of 
Loda! Weak is thy shield of clouds; feeble is that 
meteor, thy sword. 

511. My dwelling is calm, above the clouds; the fields 
of my rest are pleasant. 

DWELL then in thy calm field, and let ComhaVs son be 
forgot. Do my steps ascend, from my hills into thy peace- 
ful plains? Do /meet thee, with a spear, in thy cloud, spirit 
of dismal Loda? Why, then, dost thou frown on Fingal? — 
or shake thine airy spear ? But thou frownest in vain ; I 
never fled from mighty men. And shall the sons of the 
WIND frighten the King of Morven? NO; he knows the 
weakness of their arms. 

512. Yonder schoolboy, who plays the truant, says, the 
proclamation of peace was NOTHING to the show; and 
even the chairing of the members at election, would not 
have been a finer sight than this ; only that red and green 
are prettier colors than all this mourning. 

513. The text is gospel wisdom. I would ride the 
camel, — yea, LEAP him FLYING, through the needle's 
eye, as easily as such a pampered soul could pass the 
narrow gate. 

514. Why judge you then so hardly of the dead? For 
what he left UNDONE: — for sins, not one of which is 
mentioned in the ten commandments. 

515. Though you may think of a million strokes in a 
minute, you are required to execute but one. 

516. Not thirty tyrants now enforce the chain, but 
every CARLE can lord it o'er thy land. 

517. HEREDITARY bondmen.! Know ye not, — who 
would be free, THEMSELVES must strike the blow? By 
THEIR right arm the conquest must be wrought : — Will 
Gaul or Muscovite redress ye? — NO! True, they may 



IN READING. I < 

lay your proud despoilers low : but not for YOU will free- 
dom's altars flame. 

518. A thousand YEARS scarce serve to form a state : 
an HOUR may lay it in the dust. 

519. He prayed but for life — for life he would give all 
he had in the world ; — it was but LIFE he asked — LIFE, 
if it were to be prolonged under tortures and privations ; — 
he asked only breath, though it should be drawn in the 
damps of the lowest caverns of their hills. 

520. I could have bid you LIVE, had life been to you the 
same weary and icasting burden that it is to me. 

521. Be the combat our OWN ! and we'll perish or con- 
quer MORE PROUDLY alone; for we have sworn by our 
country's assaulters, that living we WILL be victorious, or 
that dying our deaths shall be GLORIOUS. 

522. Earth may hide — w r AVEs ingulf — -FIRE consume 
us, but they SHALL not to slavery doom us. 

523. If they rule, it shall be o'er our ashes and graves: 
but we have smitten them already with fire on the 
waves, and new triumphs on land are before us. To the 
CHARGE! — Heaven's banner is o'er us. 

524. False Wizard, AVAUNT ! I have marshaled 
my clan : their sw t ords are a thousand, their bosoms are 

ONE. 

525. What means this shouting ? I do fear the people 
choose Caesar for their King. 

Ay, do you FEAR it ? Then must I think you would not 
have it so. 

526. I speak not to disprove what Brutus spoke; but 
here I am to speak what I do KNOW. 

527. But yesterday, the word of Caesar might have 
stood against the W T ORLD. Now lies he there, and none so 
poor to do him reverence. 

52S. He was my friend, faithful and just to me ; but 
Brutus says he was AMBITIOUS ;=& and Brutus is an hon- 
orable man. He hath brought many captives home to 

* As this reading is new and original, it ma}', perhaps, require some de- 
fense. In the first assertion, the emphasis is thrown on the word ambitious 
because that is the objection made by Brutus against Cssar. The cunning 
Antony then brings forward circumstances to prove that Cresar was not 
ambitious ; and then asserts that Brutus says he was ambitious, notwith- 
standing these arguments in Caesar's defense. Antony then proceeds to pro- 
duce further proof to the contrary ; aud having brought what he supposes an 
incontrovertible argument in proof of the injustice of the charge, he then 
states the charge as resting merely on the bare assertion of Brutus. Brutus 
says so still. 

7* 



78 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

Rome, whose ransoms did the general coffers fill : Did this 
in Caesar seem ambitious ? When that the poor have cried, 
Caesar hath wept. Ambition should be made of sterner 
stuff. Yet Brutus says he WAS ambitious ; and Brutus is 
an honorable man. You all did see, that on the Lupercal I 
thrice presented him a kingly crown ; which he did thrice 
refuse. Was this ambition ? Yet Brutus SAYS he was 
ambitious ; and sure he is an honorable man. 

529. O masters ! if I were disposed to stir your hearts and 
minds to mutiny and rage, I should do Brutus wrong, and 
Cassias wrong, who, you all know, are honorable men. I will 
not do them wrong, — I rather choose to wrong the dead — 
to wrong myself and you, — than I will wrong such honorable 
men. 

530. But here 's a parchment, with the seal of Cjesar ; 1 
found it in his closet : 't is his will. Let but the commons 
hear this testament, (which, pardon me, I do not mean to 
read,) and they would go and kiss dead Caesar's wounds, and 
dip their napkins in his sacred blood, — yea, beg a hair of 
him for memory, and, dying, mention it within their wills, 
bequeathing it as a rich LEGACY unto their issue. 

531. If you have tears, prepare to shed them now. You 
all do know this mantle: I remember the first . time ever 
Caesar put it on : ('twas on a summer's evening in his tent : 
that day he overcame the Nervii :) — LOOK ! In this place 
ran Cassius' dagger through : see what a rent the envious 
Casca. made. Through this, the well-beloved Brutus 
stabbed ; and, as he plucked his cursed steel away, mark how 
the blood of Caesar followed it ! This was the most unkindest 
cut of all ! for, when the noble Caesar saw HIM stab, IN- 
GRATITUDE, more strong than traitors' arms, quite van- 
quished him ! Then burst his mighty heart : and, in his 
mantle muffling up his face, even at the base of Pompey's 
statue, which all the while ran blood, great Cesar fell. O 
what a fall was there, my countrymen ! Then I, and you, 
and all of us, fell down ; whilst bloody TREASON flour- 
ished over us. 

532. 0, now you weep ; and I perceive you feel the dint 
of pity : — these are gracious drops. Kind souls 1 What, 
weep you when you but behold our Caesar's vesture wound- 
ed ? Look ye here ! Here is HIMSELF — biarred, as you 
see, by traitors. 



IN TRADING. 79 

LESSON XXV. 

DISTINCTNESS OF ARTICULATION. 

In order tc exercise the voice, and acquire distinctness of articula- 
tion, the pupil is required, in this lesson, to pronounce (as well as he 
can) certain letters, which do not constitute a word, and then the 
words in which the same letters occur. It is not designed that he 
should call the letters by name, but endeavor to pronounce the sound 
which they represent when united.* 

Sound the following letters, and then the icords which fol- 
low, in which the same letters occur. Be particularly care-* 
ful to give a clear and distinct sound to every letter. 

Aw. Law, saw, draw. 

Or. For, nor. 

Bd. Orbed, probed. 

Bdst. Robb'dst, prob'dst. 

B7. Able, table, cable, abominable. 

Bid. Troubl'd, humbl'd, tumbl'd. 

Bldst. TroubFdst, crumbl'dst, tumbl'dst. 

Biz. Troubles, crumbles, tumbles. 

Blst. Troubl'st, crumbl'st, tumbl'st. 

Br. Brand, strand, grand. 

Bs. Ribs, cribs, fibs, nibs. 

* This lesson is deemed by the author one of the most important in the 
book, and indispensably necessary to be carefully practised and often repeated, 
in order to acquire distinctness of articulation. There are some letters and 
syllables, which are very frequently lost by a vicious pronunciation. A native 
Bostonian seldom pronounces the final g in the syllable ing. The letters 
d, l f r, t, and the syllable ed, frequently share the fate of the ing, not only 
among Bostonians, but also amon<r the generality of readers and speakers. 
The syllable er is almost universally mispronounced, as if it were ur. In the 
words merry, and -perish, few, if any, mistake the proper sound of the letters 
er ; but in the words mercy and mermaid, there are few who give the proper 
sound of these letters. The letters aw also are frequently mispronounced like or. 
In order that this lessen may be understood by those teachers, who are not 
familiar with the mode in which the sounds of the letters are taught in the 
Boston schools, the author deems it necessary to give the following explanation. 
Where two vowels, or a vowel and a consonant, occur together, no difficulty 
will occur in pronouncing the sounds of the letters ; but when several conso- 
nants occur together without a vowel, as in the fourth line of this lesson, where 
Bdst occur together, it must be understood that each of these letters stands 
for a certain sound, although that sound oe not a clear, articulate one ; and 
the sounds of each of these letters must be given together, as one syllable, 
before the words robUst and prob'st, in which they occur, are read. By such 
an exercise the voice will be improved, and ease acquired in the pronunciation 
of words in which letters of difficult combination occur. 



so 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS, 



Cht. Fetch'd. 

Dl. Candle, handle, bridle, saddle. 

Did. HandPd, bridl'd, saddl'd. 

Dh. Candles, handles, bridles, saddles. 

Dlst. Fondl'st, handPst, bridPst. 

Dr. Drove, draw, drink, drive. 

Dz. Deeds, reeds, feeds, seeds. 

Dili. Breadth, width. 

Dths. Breadths, widths. 

Fl. Flame, fling, flounce, fly, flew. 

Fid. Trifl'd, stifl'd, rifl'd. 

Fist. Trifl'st, stifl'st, rifl'st. 

Flz. " Trifles, rifles, stifles, ruffles. 

Fr. Frame, France, frown, front. 

Fs. Laughs, quaffs, staffs, ruffs, muffs. 

Fst. Laugh'st, quaff 'st. 

Ft. Waft, raft, graft. 

Fts. Wafts, grafts, rafts. 

Ftst. Waft'st, graft'st. 

Gd. Bragg'd, begg'd, pegg'd. 

Gdst. Bragg'dst, begg'dst, pegg'dst. 

Gl. Glow, glance, glide, gluck, glad. 

Gld. HaggPd, struggPd, mangPd, strangPd. 

Gldst. Haggl'dst, struggl'dst, rnangl'dst, strangl'dst. 

Glz. Mangles, strangles, struggles. 

Gist. Mangl'st, strangi'st, struggPst. 

Gr. Grave, grand, grow, grind, ground. 

Gz. Pigs, figs, begs, pegs, cags, nags. 

Gst. Bragg'st, begg'st. 

Jd. Hedored, fledged, wedded, caged. 

Kl. Uncle, carbuncle, ankle, crankle, rinkle 

Kid. RankPd, tinkPd, knuckl'd, truckPd. 

Klz. Truckles, ankles, rinkles, uncles. 

Klst. TruckPst, rinkPst, buckPst. 

Kldst. TruckPdst, rinkPdst, buckPdst. 

Kn. Blacken, broken, spoken. 

Knd. Blacken'd, reckoned, beckon'd. 

Knz. Blackens, reckons, beckons. 

Knst. Black'nst, reck'nst, beck'nst. 

Kndst. Black'ndst, reck'ndst, beck'ndst. 

Kr. Crony, crumble, crank, crankle. 

Ks. Thinks, brinks, sinks, thanks. 

Kst. Think'st, sink'st, thank'st. 

Ct. Sack'd, thwack'd, crack'd, smack'd. 



IN HEADING. 81 



Lb. EJb, bulb. 

Lbd. Bulb'd. 

Lbz. Elbs, bulbs. 

Ld. Hold, told, fold, scold, roll'd. 

Ldz. Holds, folds, scolds 

Ldst. Hold'st, fold'st, rolid'st, scold'st. 

Lf. Elf, self, shelf. 

Lfs. Elfs. 

Lft. Delft. 

Lj. Bulge, bilge. 

Lie. Milk, silk, elk. 

Lkt; Milk'd. 

Lies. Milks, silks, elks. 

Llcts. Mulcts. 

Lm. Elm. whelm, film. 

Lmd. Whelm'd, film'd. 

Lmz. Whelms, films. 

Ln. Fairn, stol'n, -swoll'n. 

Lp. Help, scalp, whelp. 

laps. Helps, scalps, whelps. 

Lpst. Help'st, scalp'st. 

Ls. False, pulse. 

Lst. Fallot, calPst, dwelPst 

Lt. Felt, halt, salt, malt, colt, dolt. 

Lts. Halts, colts, dolts, faults. 

Lv. Shelve, delve, helve. 

Lvd. Shelv'd, delv'd. 

Lvz. Elves, shelves, delves. 

Lz. Balls, stalls, halls, falls, shells* 

Lsh. Filch, milch, 

Lsht. Filched. 

Lth. Health, wealth, stealth. 

Lths. Healths, wealths, stealths. 

Md. Entomb'd, doom'd, room'd, 

Mf. Humphrey. 

Mi. Attempt. 

Mts. Attempts. 

Mz. Tombs, catacombs, combs. 

Mst. Entomb'st, comb'st. 

Nd. And, brand, sand, hand, land. 

Ndz. Bands, sands, hands, lands. 

Ndst. Send'st, defend'st, lend'st, brand's!. 

Nj, Range, strange, mange, grange. 

Njd. Ranged, flanged. 



82 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



NJc. Rank, think, crank, prank, sank. 

Nks. Ranks, thinks, cranks, pranks. 

Nkst. Rank'st, thank'st, think'st, sank'st. 

Nt. Sent, rent, went, bent, lent, trent. 

Ntst. Want'st, went'st, sent'st, lent'st. 

Nts. Wants, rents, scents. 

Nz. Fins, bans, scans, mans, fans. 

Nsh. Flinch, linch, pinch, bench. 

Nsht. Flinch'd, pinch'd, bench'd, drench' d. 

Nsf. Winced. 

Ngd. Hanged, banged, prolonged. 

Ngz. Songs, tongs, prolongs.. 

Ngtlu Length, strength. 

PL Pluck, ply, plain, plume. 

Pld. Rippled, tippled. 

Plz. Ripples, tipples, apples. 

Plst. Ripplest, tipplest. 

Pr. Pray, prance, prince, prime, prayer. 

Ps. Claps, raps, sips, nips, dips. 

Pst. Rapp'st, sipp'st, nipp'st, dipp'st. 

Rb. Herb, barb, disturb. 

Kbd> Barb'd. 

libs. Herbs, barbs. 

Rbst. Barb'st, disturbsts. 

Rbdst. Barb'dst. 

Rd. Bard, word, hard, lard, heard. 

Rds. Bards, words, interlards. 

Rdst. Heard'st, fear'dst, appear'dst. 

Rf. Surf, scurf, scarf, wharf. 

Rft. 'Wharf d, scarf d, scurf d. 

Rg. Burgh. 

Rgz. Burghs. 

Rj. Barge, large, dirge, charge. 

Rjd, Urged, enlarged, charged. 

Rk. Hark, lark, ark, dark, stark. 

Rkt. Hark'd, work'd, dirk'd. 

Rks. Harks, works, dirks, arks. 

Rkst. Work'st, embark'st, dirk'st. 

Rktst. Bark'dst, embark'dst, dirk'dst. 

Rl Snarl, marl, whirl, dirl, girl, hurl. 

Rid. Snarl'd, hurl'd, world. 

Rlz. Snarls, hurls, whirls. 

Rlst. SnarFst, hurl'st, whirl'st. 

Rldst. Snarl'dst, hurl'dst, whirl'dst. 



IN READING. S3 



Rm. Arm, harm, farm, alarm. 

Rmd. Arm'd, harm'd, alarm'd, warm'd. 

Rmz. Arms, harms, alarms, warms. 

Rmst. Arm'st, harm'st, alarm'st, warm'st. 

Rmclst. Arm'dst, harm'dst, alarm' dst. 

Rn. Burn, spurn, turn, fern. 

RncL Burn'd, spurn'd, turn'd. 

Rnt. Burnt, learnt. 

Rnz, Urns, burns, turns, spurns. 

Rnst. Earn'st, learn'st. 

Rndst. EarnMst, learn'dst. 

Rp. Harp, carp, warp. , 

Rpt. Harp'd, carp'd, warp'd. 

Rps. Harps, carps, warps. 

Rs. Hearse, verse, terse. 

Rst. . First, erst, worst, burst. 

Rsts. Bursts. 

Rt, Heart, dart, mart, hart, part, art 

Rts. Harts, darts, marts, parts, arts. 

Rtst. Hurt'st, dart'st, part'st. 

Rv. Curve, swerve, carve. 

Rvd. Curv'd, swerv'd, nerv'd. 

Rvz. Curves, swerves, nerves. 

Rvst. Curv'st, swerv'st, nerv'st. 

Rvtst. Curv'dst, swerv'dst, nerv'dst. 

Rz. Errs, avers, prefers, offers, scoffers. 

RcJi. Search, lurch, birch, church. 

Relit. Search'd, church'd. 

Rsh. Harsh, marsh. 

Rth. Hearth, earth, birth, dearth, mirth. 

Rths. Hearths, earths, births. 

Sh. Ship, shut, shun, shine, share. 

Skt. Push'd, hush'd, brush'd, crush' d. 

Sk. Mask, risk, brisk, frisk. 

SJct. Mask'd, risk'd, frisk'd. 

Sks. Masks, risks, frisks. 

SJcst. Mask'st, risk'st, frisk'st. 

SI. Slay, slew, slain, slim, slink. 

Sid. Nestled, bristled, wrestled. 

Sni. Smoke, smite, smart, small, smack. 

Sn. Snail, snarl, snort, snag. 

Sp. Spurn, spank, spirt, spa. 

Sps. Whisps, lisps. 



84 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



St. Starve, stay, stock, strike. 

Str. Strain, strong, strive, strung. 

Sts. Busts, lusts, masts, fasts, blasts. 

Th. Thine, thee, that, those, there. 

Th. Thin, thistle, thief. 

Thd. Wreathed, breathed, sheathed. 

Thz. Wreathes, breathes, sheathes. 

Thst. Wreath'st, breath'st, sheath'st. 

Tl. Little, title, whittle, bottle, settle, nettle. 

Tld. Settled, whittled, bottled, nettled. 

Tlz. Battles, whittles, bottles, nettles, settles. 

Tlst. SettFst, whittPst, bottPst, nettPst. 

Tldst. SettPdst, whittPdst, bottPdst. 

Tr. Travels, trinket, trunk, contrive. 

Tz. Hats, flits, cats, bats, mats, brats. 

Tst. Combat'st. 

Vd. Swerved, nerved, curved, loved. 

Vdst. Liv'dst, nerv'dst, curv'dst, swerv'dst. 

VI. Swivel, drivel, grovel, novel. 

VId. DrivePd, grovePd. 

Viz. Drivels, swivels, grovels, novels. 

Vlst. DrivePst, grovel st. 

Vldst. DrivePdst, grovePdst. 

Vn. Driven, riven, heaven. 

Vz. Lives, drives, swerves, nerves. 

Vst. Liv'st. 

Zl. Muzzle, dazzle. 

Zld. MuzzPd, dazzPd. 

Zlz. Muzzles, dazzles. 

ZlsL MuzzPst, dazzPst. 

Zldst. MuzzPdst, dazzPdst. 

Zm. Spasm, chasm. 

Zmz. Spasms, chasms. 

Zn. Prison, risen, mizzen. 

Znd. Imprisoned, reasoned. 

Znz. Prisons. 

Znst. Imprison' dst. 

The pupil, having been required to pronounce the letters 
and words in the preceding exercise, may now read the fol- 
lowing sentences, in which he must be particularly careful to 
pronounce clearly and distinctly every letter which is not 
silent. The sentences must be read very slowly. 



IN READING. 85 

533. Deeply possess your mind with the vast importance 
of a good judgment, and the inestimable advantage of right 
reasoning. 

534. Review the instances of your own misconduct in life. 

535. Think seriously how many follies and sorrows you 
might have escaped, and how much guilt and misery you 
might have prevented, if from your early years you had 
taken pains to judge correctly, concerning persons, times, 
and things. 

536. This will awaken you with lively vigor to the work 
of improving your reasoning powers, and seizing every 
opportunity and advantage for that end. 

537. Consider the weakness, frailties, and mistakes of 
human nature in general ; the depth and the difficulty of 
many truths, and the flattering appearances of falsehood. 

53S. Whence arise the infinite varieties of dangers to 
which we are exposed in our judgment of things? 

539. Contrive and practise some suitable methods to ac- 
quaint yourself with your own ignorance, and to impress 
your mind with a deep and painful sense of the low and 
imperfect degrees of your present knowledge. 

540. Presume not too much upon a bright genius, a ready 
wit, and good parts; for these, without labor and study, will 
never make a man of knowledge and wisdom. 

In order to show the pupil the difference between distinct 
and indistinct articulation, the following extract is presented ; 
the left-hand column being printed as the piece is frequently 
read by pupils at school, and the right-hand column exhibit' 
ing the same as it should be articulated. 

541. The young of all an- 541. The young of all an- 
muls pear treceive playzhu imals appear to receive pleas- 
from the excise of thlimbs ure from the exercise of 



an bodly facties, without ref- 
frence t enny end ter be 
tained, ur enny use tbe ansd 
by theexshun. 

542. Ur chile without 
knowin enny thing er the 
use er languige zin er high 
dorree dlicrhted with bin abe 
ter speak. 



their limbs and bodily facul- 
ties, without reference to 
any end to be attained, and 
any use to be answered, by 
the exertion. 

542. A child, without 
knowing any thing of the 
use of language, is in a high 
degree delighted with being 
able to speak. 



86 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



543. Its cessant reption 
uv er few ticlate sounds or 
praps of a single word, which 
it has lunned ter prunounce, 
proves this point clilly. 

544. Nor ist Jess pleased 
with its fust successful deav- 
urs ter walk, or rath ter run, 
which purcedes walkin, al- 
though tirely ignurunt er 
th importance er th attain- 
munt tits futur life, an even 
without plyin it ter enny 
present purps. 

545. Childs dlighted with 
speak without hav enny 
thing tur say, an with walk 
without known wither ter 

546. An prevesly ter both 
these sreasonable ter blieve 
that the wake hours funcy 
ragreebly take up with thex- 
cise vish, or praps more 
prop speak, with learn ter 
see. 



543. Its incessant repeti- 
tion of a few articulate 
sounds, or perhaps of a sin- 
gle word, which it has learn- 
ed to pronounce, proves this 
point clearly. 

544. Nor is it less pleased 
with its first successful en- 
deavors to walk, or rather to 
run, which precedes walking ; 
although entirely ignorant of 
the importance of the attain- 
ment to its future life, and 
even without applying it to 
any present purpose. 

545. A child is delighted 
with speaking, without hav- 
ing any thing to say; and 
with walking, without know- 
ing whither to go. 

546. And previously to 
both these, it is reasonable 
to believe that the waking 
hours of infancy are agreea- 
bly taken up with the exer- 
cise of vision, or perhaps, 
more properly speaking, with 
learning to see. 

In reading the above sentences in the right-hand column, 
the pupil must be particularly careful to pronounce clearly 
and distinctly all the sounds which he finds omitted in the 
left-hand column, particularly the syllableing, the letters d, n, 
t, and all the proper vowel sounds. 



. LESSON XXVI. 

MANNER, OR EXPRESSION. 

In this lesson, the pupil is required to adapt the manner 
of his reading to the meaning of the sentences which he is to 
read ; and endeavor to imitate, as closely as possible, the 



IN HEADING. §7 

tones which nature teaches him to use in common conversa- 
tion, or ichcn he is affected by strong feelings. Thus, if he 
have such a sentence as the following to read, — 

" Sirrah, savage, dost thou pretend to be ashamed of my 
company ? Dost thou know that I have kept the best com- 
pany in England?' 5 — 

He will of course read it in quite a different manner from 
that which he would use in this which follows : 

"Are you sick, Hubert? You look pale to-day. In 
sooth, I would you were a little sick, that I might sit all 
night and watch with you. I warrant I love you more than 
you do me." 

[The following sentence should be read in an angry 
manner.'] 

547. Father, what sort of a tree is that which you have 
given me? It is as dry as a broomstick; and I shall not 
have ten apples on it. You have treated my brother Ed- 
mund better than you have me. You have given him a tree 
which is full of apples. You ought to make him give me 
half of them. 

[The following should be read in a milder manner.'] 

548. Give you half of them? Your tree was as fruitful 
and in as good order as his ; but you have not taken good 
care of it. Edmund has kept his tree clear of hurtful in- 
sects; but you have suffered them to eat up yours in its 
blossoms. I shall not direct him to share his apples with so 
idle a boy as you have been. 

[To be read in a respectful, calm, but decided manner.] 

549. Alexander ! I am your captive — I must hear what 
you please to say, and endure what you please to inflict. 
But my soul is unconquered ; and if I reply at all to your 
reproaches, I will reply like a free man. 

[ To be read in a threatening manner.] 

550. He dares not touch a hair of Catiline. 

551. [With surprise.] What! does life displease thee ? 
[Calmly, but with emphasis.] Yes; — it displeases me 

when I see a tyrant. 

552. [Mikity] The sun not set yet, Thomas ? Not quite, 
sir. It blazes through the trees on the hill yonder, as if 
their branches were all on fire. 



88 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

553. [With energy.] Sirrah, I begin with this kick, as 
a tribute to your boasted honor. Get you into the boat, 
or I will give you another. I am impatient to have you 
condemned. 

554. [With moderation.'] Stranger, if thou hast learnt a 
truth, which needs experience more than reason, that the 
world is full of guilt and misery ; and hast known enough 
of all its sorrows, crimes, and cares, to tire thee of it — 
enter this wild wood, and view the haunts of nature. 

555. [Proud!]/ and haughtily*] Do you pretend to sit 
as high on Olympus as Hercules? Did you destroy tyrants 
and robbers? You value yourself greatly on subduing one 
serpent. I did as much as that while I lay in my cradle. 

558. [With fear.] Mirza, terror and doubt are come 
upon me. I am alarmed as a man who suddenly perceives 
that he is on the brink of a precipice, and is urged forward 
by an irresistible force; but yet I know not whether my 
danger is a reality or a dream. 

557. [In a threatening manner.] I know thou art a scoun- 
drel ! Not pay thy debts! Kill thy friend who lent thee 
money, for asking thee for it! Get out of my sight, or I 
will drive thee into the Styx. 

558. [In a commanding manner.] Stop, I command thee. 
No violence. Talk to him calmly. 

559. [In a solemn manner.] Such are the excuses whrch 
irreligion offers Could you have believed that they were so 
empty, so unworthy, so hollow, so absurd ? And shall such 
excuses be offered to the God of heaven and earth? By 
such apologies shall man insult his Creator? 

580. [In a mournful manner.] Oh, my dear, dear mother ! 
don't you know your son ! your poor boy, George ? 

561. [In a terrified manner.] The Lord have mercy upon 
us — what is this? 

562. [In a proud, disdainful manner.] Why then dost 
thou frown on Fingal? Or shake thine airy spear? But 
thou frownest in vain : I never fled from mighty men. And 
shall the sons of the wind frighten the King of Morven ? 
No ; he knows the weakness of their arms. 

563. [In an energetic manner.] Now launch the boat 
upon the wave, — the wind is blowing off the shore — I will 
not live a cowering slave on these polluted islands more. 



See Number 128, page 33. 



IX READING. 89 

Beyond the wild, dark, heaving sea, there is a better home 
for me. 

564. [In a plaintive, sorrowful manner.'] O Switzerland! 
my country! 'tis to thee I strike my harp in agony: — My 
country! nurse of liberty, home of the gallant, great, and 
free, my sullen harp I strike to thee. Oh ! I have lost you 
all! — parents, and home, and friends. 

565. [With quickness and emphasis.] Talk to me of 
dangers? — Death and shame! — is not my race as high, as 
ancient, and as proud as thine? By heaven, it grieves me, 
Harry Percy, preaching such craven arguments to me. 

566. [With luimility.] Father, I have sinned against 
heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be 
called thy son. 

567. [With horror.] How T frightful the grave ! how de- 
serted and drear ! with the howls of the storm wind — the 
creaks of the bier, and the white bones all clattering together. 

568. [ With calmness.] How lovely, how sweet the repose 
of the tomb ! No tempests are there ; — but the nightin- 
gales come, and sing their sweet chorus of bliss. 

569. [In an authoritative manner.] Heat me these irons 
hot ; and look thou stand within the arras : when I strike 
my foot upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth, and bind 
the boy, which you shall find with me, fast to the chair : be 
heedful : hence, and watch. 

570. [In a supplicating tone.] Alas ! what need you be 
so boisterous rou^h? I will not strucrcrle, I w ill stand stone- 
still. For heaven's sake, Hubert, let me not be bound ! 
Nay, hear me, Hubert ! drive these men aw T ay, and I will sit 
as quiet as a lamb ; I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a 
w r ord, nor look upon the irons angrily; thrust but these men 
away, and I'll forgive you, whatever torments you do put me to. 

571. [Solemn caution?^ Lochiel ! Lochiel, beware of the 
day when the Lowlands shall meet thee in battle array ! for 
a field of the dead rushes red on my sight, and the clans of 
Culloden are scattered in fight. 



ALEXANDER'S FEAST. 

572. 

Martial Description. 

'T was at the royal feast for Persia won 
By Philip's warlike son, 



90 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

Awe. 

Aloft, in awful state, 
The godlike hero sate 
On his imperial throne. 

Admiration. 

His valiant peers were placed around, 

Their brows with roses and with myrtle bound ; 

So should desert in arms be crown'd. 

Delight. 

The lovely Thais, by his side, 
Sat like a blooming Eastern bride, 
In flower of youth, and beauty's pride. 

Rapture. 

Happy, happy, happy pair! 
None but the brave, 
None but the brave, 

Triumph. 

None but the brave, deserve the fair. 
573. 

Description. 

Timotheus, placed on high, 

Amid the tuneful choir, 

With flying fingers touch'd the lyre : 
The trembling notes ascend the sky, 

And heavenly joys inspire. 
The song began from Jove, 
Who left his blissful seat above — 
Such is the power of mighty love ! — 

Awe. 

A dragon's fiery form belied the god : 
Sublime on radiant spheres he rode, 
When he to fair Olympia press'd 
And stamp'd an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. 
The listening crowd admire the lofty sound: 

Surprise increased. 

" A present deity!" they shout around; — 

" A present deity ! " the vaulted roofs rebound. 

With ravish'd ears 

The monarch hears, 

Importance. 

Assumes the god, 
Affects to nod, 
And seems to shake the spheres. 



IS READING. 91 

574. 

Jovial description. 

The praise of Bacchus, then the sweet musician sung ; 
Of Bacchus, ever fair and young! 

The jolly god in triumph comes ! 

Sound the trumpets ! beat the drums ! 

Flush'd with a purple grace, 

He shows his honest face. 

Inciting. 

Now give the hautboys breath. — He comes! he comes! 
Bacchus, ever fair and young, 
Drinking joys did first ordain. 

Bacchanalian rapture. 

Bacchus' blessings are a treasure ; 
Drinking is the soldier's pleasure. 

Rich the treasure, 

Sweet the pleasure; 
Sweet is pleasure after pain ! 

O/O. 

Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain : 
Fought all his battles o'er again : 

Swelling. 

And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain! 

Observing. 

The master saw the madness rise ; 
His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes: (rapidly.) 
And while he heaven and earth defied, 
(Sloivly.) Chang'd his hand, and check'd his pride.* 

576. 

Sorrowful. 

He chose a mournful muse, 
Soft pity to infuse; (very slowly.) 
He sung Darius great and good ! 

3 c o 

By too severe a fate, 

Fallen ! fallen ! fallen ! fallen ! — (gradually sinking.) 
(Lander.) Fallen from his high estate, 
And weltering in his blood ! 



* There should be a transition in the voice here, as in the strain of Timo- 
tlieus, from heroic to -pathetic ; as rapid too. 



92 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

Reproach. 

)eserted at his .utmost need 

■iy those his former bounty fed, 
On the bare earth exposed he lies, 
With not a friend to close his eyes ! 

Reflection. 

th downcast look the joyless victor sate, 
Revolving, in his alter'd soul, 

The various turns of fate below; 
And now and then a sigh he stole, 

Pity. 

And tears began to flow ! 

577. 

Secret satisfaction. 

The mighty master smiled, to see 

That love was in the next degree : 

'Twas but a kindred sound to move ; 

For pity melts the mind to love, {rapidly, 

Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, changed to 

Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures. lively,) 

Remonstrance. 

War, he sung, is toil and trouble ; 
Honor, bat an empty bubble; 
Never ending, still beginning, 

Fighting still, and still destroying. 

Requesting 

If the world be worth thy winning, 
Think, oh, think it worth enjoying! 

Admiration. 

Lovely Thais sits beside thee, 

Take the good the gods provide thee. 

Burets of approbation. 

The many rend the skies with loud applause : 
So love was crown'd; but music won the cause. 

57S. 
The prince, unable to conceal his pain, 

Gazed on the fair, 
Who caused his care, 

Effeminately. 

And sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, 
Sigh'd and look'd, and sigh'd again: 



IN HEADING. 93 

At length, with love and wine at once oppress'd, 
The vanquished victor — sunk upon her breast ' 

579. 

Burst of voice.* 

Now strike the golden lyre again ! 

A louder yet, and yet a louder strain ! 

Break his bands of sleep asunder, 

And rouse him like a rattling peal of thunder ! 

Amazement. 

Hark ! hark ! — the horrid sound 

Has raised up his head, 

As awaked from the dead; 
And, amazed, he stares around. 

580. 

Inciting furiously. 

Revenge! revenge! Timotheus cries — 

See the furies arise ! 

See the snakes that they rear, 

How they Hiss in their hair, 
And the sparkles that flash from their eyes ! {rapidly.) 

Behold a ghastly band, 

Each a torch in his hand. 
These arp Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, 

And, unburied, remain 

Inglorious on the plain. 

Give the vengeance due* 

To the valiant crew ! 
Behold! how they toss their torches on high, 
How they point to the Persian abodes, 
And glittering temples of their hostile gods. 

581. 

Breathless eagerness. 

The princes applaud, with a furious -joy ;f 

And the king seized a flambeau, with zeal to destroy ; 

Thais led the way, 

To light him to his prey ! 

Burst. 

And, like another Helen, fired — another Troy. 

* The burst upon " rouse j ?; dwelling on the consonant r, trilled by the 
tongue against the uoper gum. 

f The princes — appiaud — with a furious — joy 5 
And the king — seized a flambeau — with zeal — to destroy, &c. 



94 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

582. 

Narrative manner. 

Thus, long ago, 
Ere heaving bellows learned to blow, 
While organs yet were mute, 
Timotheus, to his breathing flute 

And sounding lyre, 
Could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire. 

5S3. 

Pleasure. 

At last, divine Cecilia came, 

Inventress of the vocal frame. 
The sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, 

Enlarged the former narrow bounds, 

And added length to solemn sounds, 
With nature's mother- wit, and arts unknown before 

Concluding. 

Let old Timotheus yield the prize, 
Or both divide the crown : 

Awe. 

He raised a mortal to the skies ; 

Delight. 

She drew an angel down. — Dry den, 

584. 

Disdain. 

Go, preach to the coward, thou death-telling seer! 
Or, if gory Cuiloden so dreadful appear, 
., Praw, dotard, around thy old wavering sight, 
This mantle, to cover the phantoms of fright. 



LESSON XXVII. 

PITCH OF THE VOICE. 

Every 'person has three keys, or pitches of the voice, called 

THE HIGH, THE MIDDLE and THE LOW KEY. 

The high key is that which is used in calling to a person 
at a distance. 



IN READING. 95 

The middle key is that which is used in common con- 
versation. 

The low key is that which is used when we wish no one to 
hear, except the person to whom ice speak ; and is almost, but 
not quite, a whisper. 

Each one of these keys or pitches of the voice has different 
degrees of loudness ; and it is important that the pupil should 
exercise his voice in speaking, in all of these keys, both with 
mildness and with force. 

[The pupil may read the following sentence in each of the 
different keys.] 

585. They have rushed through like a hurricane ; like an 
army of locusts they have devoured the earth ; the war has 
fallen like a water-spout, and deluged the land with blood. 

[Read the following in the high key.] 

586. Next Anger rushed ; — his eyes on fire, in lightnings 
owned his secret stings; in one rude clash he struck his 
lyre, and swept with hurried hands the strings. 

[Read the following in the low key.] 

587. With woful measures wan Despair — low, sullen 
sounds his grief beguiled : — a solemn, strange, and min- 
gled air : — 'twas sad by fits, by starts 'twas wild. 

[Read the following in the middle key.] 

588. But thou, O Hope ! with eyes so fair, what was thy 
delighted measure? Still it whispered promised pleasure, 
and bade the lovely scenes at distance hail ! 

589. [Read ivith the high key.] But, with a frown, Re- 
venge impatient rose. He threw his blood-stained sword in 
thunder down ; and, with a withering look, the war-denoun- 
cing trumpet took, and blew a blast so loud and dread, were 
ne'er prophetic sounds so full of woe. And ever and anon 
he beat the doubling drum with furious heat : [Loio key, 
very sloivly.] and though, sometimes, each dreary pause be- 
tween, dejected Pity, at his side, her soul-subduing voice 
applied, [High key, rapidly.] yet still he kept his wild, un- 
altered mien, while each strained ball of sight seemed burst- 
ing from his head. 

590. [Middle key.] Alexander the Great demanded of a 
pirate, whom he had taken, by what right he infested the 
seas. " By the same right," replied the pirate, " that Alexan- 
der enslaves the world. But I am called a robber, because I 
have only one small vessel : and he is styled a conqueror, 
because he commands great fleets and armies." 



tft) • INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

LESSON XXVIII. 

TRANSITION. 

[It is important that the pupil practise a change or transi- 
tion of the voice from loud and forcible utterance to a softer 
and lower tone; and from rapid. to slow pronunciation. In 
this lesson he is presented with a few examples in which 
such a change of manner is required.] 

591. [Softly and sloioly.] An hour passed on. The 
Turk awoke. That bright dream was his last. [3Iore 
loudly.] He woke — to hear the sentry's shriek, [Very loud 
and rapid.] " To arms ! they come ! the Greek ! the Greek ! " 
[Slowly and softly.] He woke to die midst flame and smoke, 
and shout and groan, and saber stroke, and [Faster and 
louder.] death shots falling thick and fast, as lio-htninjrs from 
the mountain cloud ; [Still louder.] and heard, with voice 
as trumpet loud, Bozzaris cheer his band ; [ Very loud, rap- 
idly, and with much animation.] Strike — till the last armed 
foe expires — Strike — for your altars and your fires — Strike— 
for the green graves of your sires, God — and your native land. 

[In a softer and slower manner.] They fought — like brave 
men, long and well, — they piled that ground with Moslem 
slain, — they conquered — [Very slowly, and in a mournful 
manner.] but Bozzaris fell, bleeding at every vein. 

592. [In a gentle manner and low tone.] When, doffed 
his casque, he felt free air, around 'gan* Marmion wildly 
stare : — [Much louder, and in a wild and somewhat angry 
manner.] " Where's Harry Blount? Fitz Eustace, where? 
Linger ye here, ye hearts of hare? Redeem my pennon, — 
charge again! Cry — ' Marmion to the rescue.' — [ Very 
sloivly, and almost in a zvhisper.] Vain! Last of my race, 
on battle plain that shout shall ne'er be heard again! [In- 
creasing in loudness.] Yet my last thought is England's : — 
[Louder, and zvitk more earnestness.] fly — Fitz Eustace, to 
Lord Surrey hie,. [More rapidly.] Tunsfall lies dead upon 
the field ; his life-blood stains the spotless shield : Edmund 
is down, — my life is reft, — the Admiral alone is left. 

* A contraction for began. See Apostrophe, Clark's Grammar, page 196. 



IN READING. 97 

[IVlth much earnestness of manner.] Let Stanley charge 
with spur of fire, with Chester charge and Lancashire, full 
upon Scotland's central host, [Slowly.] or victory and Eng- 
land's lost. [Angrily.'] Must I bid twice? — hence, varlets ! 
fly ! Leave Marmion here alone — to die." 

593. [Distinctly, slowly, and in a moderate tone,] Yet 
still Lord Mann ion's falcon flew with wavering flight, while 
fiercer grew around the battle yell. [Loudly and quickly.] 
" A Home ! a Gordon ! " was the cry. 

594. [Sloivly and with feeling .] Oh, what a fall was there, 
my countrymen ! Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, 
[Loudly and with emphasis.] while bloody treason flourished 
over us. 

595. [Softly and slowly.] Oh, now you weep ; and I per- 
ceive you feel the dint of pity: — these are gracious drops. 
Kind souls! [Quickly, louder, and icith strong emphasis.] 
What, weep you when you but behold our Caesar's VES- 
TURE wounded? [Very loudly and earnestly.] Look ye 
here ! — here is HIMSELF — marred as you see by traitors. 

596. [ Very slowly and sorrowfully.] Oh, I could play 
the woman with mine eyes, and braggart with my tongue ! — 
[With earnestness, louder, and rapidly .] But, gentle heaven, 
cut short all intermission ; front to front, bring thou this 
fiend of Scotland and myself; [Still more forcibly, but with 
a lower tone.] within my sword's length set him ; if he 
escape, heaven forgive him too. 

597. [Proudly, and with a loud and angry manner.] But 
here I stand and scoff you; — here I fling hatred and defi- 
ance in your face. [In a much milder manner, slowly, and in 
derision.] Your consul's* merciful — For this — all thanks 
[ Very loud, and in a threatening manner. See Number 
550.] He dares not touch a hair of Catiline. 

598. [In a low tone, very softly.] His words do take pos- 
session of my bosom, — [Louder, and with earnestness.] 
Read here, young Arthur. [ Very softly.] How now, fool- 
ish rheum ! turning despiteous torture out the door ! I must 
be brief, lest resolution drop out at my eyes in tender, 
womanish tears. — [Louder, and as if striving to hide his 
tears.] Can you not read it? Is it not fair writ ? 

* The pupil will notice that there are many abbreviations of this kind made 
in this book in pieces which appear to be prose. All the sentences which are 
poetical have been printed in the form of prose, to prevent the " sing song" 
maaaer of reading. But it must be understood and recollected, that although 
abbreviations are allowable in poetry, they are not admitted in prose. 

9 



98 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

599. [Slowly, and in a very sad manner,'] Too fairly, 
Hubert, for so foul effect. [In an entreating manner.] 
Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes? 

[In a stern manner.] Young boy, I must. 
\In a very sorrowful and supplicating manner,] And 
will you? 

[Sternly, and in an apparently determined manner.] And 
I will. 

600. [With a very earnest, sorrowful, and entreating 
manner.] Will you put out mine eyes? These eyes that 
never did, nor never shall, so much as frown on you? 

601. [In a rough manner, hut still struggling to conceal 
his pity.] I have sworn to do it ; and with hot irons must 1 
burn them out. 

602. [In a very pathetic manner.] If an angel should 
have come to me, and told me, Hubert should put out mine 
eyes, I would not have believed no tongue but Hubert's.* 

603. [In a kind, relenting, and very feeling manner.] 
Well — see to live; I will not touch thine eyes, for all the 

treasure that thy uncle owes. [In a slow, solemn, and 

decided manner.] Yet I am sworn, and I did purpose, boy, 
with this same very iron to burn them out. 

604. [In a joyful and grateful manner.] O, now you 
look like Hubert! all this while you were disguised. 

605. [In an animated manner.] The combat deepens — 
[ Very loud, rapidly, and with much energy.] On, ye brave, 
who rush to glory, or the grave! Wave, Munich, all thy 
banners wave ; and charge with all thy chivalry. 

606. [In a slow, solemn, and mournful manner.] Ah, few 
shall part where many meet! The snow shall be their 
winding-sheet, and every turf beneath their feet shall be a 
soldier's sepulcher. 

* This expression, "J would not have believed no tongue but Hubert's" 

is a grammatical error, hardly sanctioned even by the great name of Shakspeare, 
from whom it was taken. The poets frequently have great liberties allowed 
them under the name of poetic license ; and the name of Shakspeare " lionors 
this comLjotiony Were it known to a certainty that he was a classical scholar, 
the expression above quoted might be pardoned as an idiotism, or imitation of 
the Greek construction, in which, double negatives are frequently used to 
strengthen the negation. See Clark's New English Grammar, page 141, 
Observation 5. and Andrews and Stoddard ' s Latin Grammar, page 303, 
§ 32-5, No. 6, edition of 1836. — Shakspeare and Cowper both use the expressions, 
" I Itad as lief not be.'' and ' ; I had much rather be ;" thus joining the auxiliary 
of the pluperfect tense with the present. 



IN READING. 99 

LESSON XXIX. 

ELLIPTICAL SENTENCES. 

An Ellipsis * means an omission ; and when any thing is 
omitted, or purposely left out, it is said that there is an ellip- 
sis in the sentence, and the sentence is called an elliptical 
sentence. 

Elliptical sentences occur very frequently ; and it is 
necessary, in reading such sentences, to supply, in our 
minds, all that is omitted, in order to give the proper tone, 
accent, emphasis, and expression. Thus in the following 
questions, — " What went ye out into the wilderness to see ? 
A reed shaken by the wind?" — there is an ellipsis or omis- 
sion of the words " did you go out to see; " and when these 
words are supplied, the questions will be, "What went ye 
out into the wilderness to see? Did you go out to see a 
reed shaken by the wind? 

Elliptical sentences must always be read in the same 
manner, with the same emphasis, tone, accent, and expression, 
that they would be if the ellipses were supplied. 

In every elliptical sentence, a pause should be made at 
every ellipsis long enough to pronounce, or rather to think 
over, the words which are omitted. 

In the following sentences, the ellipsis is supplied in Italic 
letters, in the form of a parenthesis. The pupil will first 
read them as they stand, and then read them with the omis- 
sion of those parts which are in Italic letters. 

607. What sought they thus afar? [Did they seek) 
Bright jewels of the mine? [Did they seek) The wealth 
of seas? [or) the spoils of war? (No, they did not seek 
either of these, but) They sought a faith's pure shrine. 

608. What, then, would it be reasonable to expect from 
the fanciful tribe, from the musicians and poets of such a 
region? (Would it be reasonable to expect) Strains ex- 
pressive of joy, tranquillity, or the softer passions ? No ; 

* See Lesson 19, page 6'2. 



100 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



their style must have been better suited to their circum- 
stances. 

609. Art thou the Thracian robber, of whose exploits I 
have heard so much? 

(No! I am not a Thracian robber , but) I am a Thra- 
cian, and a soldier. 

(Do you call yourself) A soldier? (I" consider you as 
nothing better than) a thief, a plunderer, an assassin ! 
(who is) the pest of the country. 

610. No deep and deadly quarrel was between these 
brothers, and neither of them could distinctly tell the cause 
of this unnatural estrangement. Perhaps dim jealousies 
of their father's favor (was the cause of this unnatural 
estrangement — perhaps) selfish thoughts that will some- 
times force themselves into poor men's hearts respect- 
ing temporal expectations (ivas the cause of this unnatural 
estrangement — perhaps) unaccommodating manners on both 
sides (were the cause of this unnatural estrangement — per- 
haps) taunting words that mean little when uttered, but 
which rankle and fester in remembrance, or imagined op- 
position of interests, that, duly considered, would have been 
found one and the same, (ivere the causes of this unnatural 
estrangement) — these and many other causes, slight when 
single, but strong when rising up together in one baneful 
band, had gradually, but fatally infected their hearts, till at 
last they who in youth had been seldom separate, and truly 
attached, now met at market, and, miserable to say, (not 
only at market, but even also) at church, with dark and 
averted faces, like different clansmen during a feud. 

611. What shall we call them? (Shall we call them) 
Piles of crystal light? — (Shall ice call them) A glorious 
company of golden streams — (Shall we call them). Lamps 
of celestial ether burning bright — (or) suns lighting sys- 
tems with their joyous beams? But thou to these art. as the 
noon to night. 

612. v Hail to your lordship ! I am glad to see you well. 
(It is) Horatio (who speaks to me,) or I do forget myself. 

613. (It is) The same, my lord, and (2" am) your poor 
servant ever. 

614. Sir, (you are) my good friend. I'll change that 
name with you. 

615. Ah, whither now are fled those dreams of greatness? 
(Whither now are fed) Those unsated hopes of happi- 
ness? (Whither now are fed) Those busy, bustling days? 



IX READING. 101 

{Whither 7W10 are fed *) Those gay-spent, festive nights, 
(a7id) those veering thoughts, lost between good and ill, that 
shared thy life 1 

616. Almighty! trembling like a timid child, I hear thy 

awful voice {and when I hear it I am) alarmed — 

{and) afraid. I see the flashes of thy lightning wild, and in 
the very grave would hide my head. 

617. Sourceless and endless God ! compared with thee, 
life is a shadowy, {and not only a shadowy, but also a) mo- 
mentary dream ; and {even) time, when viewed through thy 
eternity, {is) less than the mote of morning's golden beam. 

618. What excuse can the Englishman plead? {Will he 
plead) the custom of duelling? An excuse, this {is) that in 
these regions cannot avail. 

The spirit that made him draw his sword in the combat 
against his friend, is not the spirit of honor ; it is the spirit 
of the furies, {it is the spirit) of Alecto herself {who zvas 
the chief of the furies.) To her he must go, for she has 
long dwelt in his merciless bosom. 

619. Curse these cowardly covenanters — what {shall we 
do) if they tumble down upon our heads pieces of rock from 
their hiding places? {Shall we) advance? Or {shall we) 
retreat? 

620. To save a bishop, may I name a dean? {May you 
name) a dean, sir? No; his fortune is not made; you hurt 
a man that's rising in the trade. If {I may) not {name)' the 
tradesman who set up to-day, much less {may I name) the 
apprentice who to-morrow may {set up.) 

621. And what are things eternal? Powers depart, {and 
therefore they are not things eternal,) possessions vanish, 
{and therefore they are not things eternal,) and opinions 
change, {and therefore they are not things eternal,) and pas- 
sions hold a fluctuating seat, {and therefore they are not 
things eternal;) but, by the storms of circumstance unshaken, 
and subject neither to eclipse nor wane, duty exists — im- 
mutably survives ! What {is there) more that may not 
perish ? 

622. So goes the world; if {you are) wealthy, you may 

* T£Jie ellipsis is supplied at each of these inquiries, to show that the falling 
inflection of the voice is required at each of the questions; [see Lesson 6th;] 
and it will be noticed throughout this lesson that the ellipsis is supplied in 
parentheses in many sentences where it may appear to be superfluous j: but 
the author's design in so doing - is to lead more directly to the proper intonation 
of the voice. As a particular instance of this kind, see A~o. 615, 616, 
and 613. 

9* 



102 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

call this {man your) friend, that {man your) brother; — 
friends and brothers all {men toill be to you) {or you may call 
all men your friends and brothers.) 

623. I once saw a poor fellow {who toas both) keen and 
clever, witty and wise; — he paid a man a visit, and no one 
noticed him, and no one ever gave him a welcome^ {It is) 
Strange, cried I ; whence is it {that this man is so much ?ieg- 
lected?) He walked on this side {of the 7*oom,) and then on 
that {side of the room; *) he tried to introchice a social chat ; 
now here, now there, in vain he tried {to introduce a social 
chat.) Some ( persons , ivhen he spoke to them) formally and 
freezingly replied {to him;) and some {persons made him no 
proper ansioer, but) said by their silence, {you would) better 
stay at home {than come here, where you are not wanted.) 

624. A rich man burst the door. {A man who was) 
As Croesus rich. I'm sure he could not pride himself upon 
his wit ; and as to wisdom, he had none of it. He had 
what's better ; he had wealth. What a confusion {there was 
when he entered the room!) All {who are in the room) stand 
up erect — These t {persons in this part of the room) crowd 
around to ask him of his health ; {and) these {persons in 
another part of the room) arrange a sofa or a chair, and 
these {persons) conduct him there. {Some said to him,) 
Allow me, sir, the honor {of handing you a chair, or of 
conducting you to it.) Then {they each made) a bow down 
to the earth. Xs't possible to show meet gratitude for such 
kind condescension?! 



* This example shows very clearly how the proper intonation of the voice is 
intimated by supplying the ellipses, although the sense is sufficiently clear as 
the sentence is expressed. 

f It may here be observed, that a pause should be made in every elliptical 
sentence long enough to pronounce, or rather to think over, the words which 
are omitted. The extract above affords a clear illustration of this remark. 
See the directions, at the beginning of this lesson. 

X It may perhaps be thought that some ellipses are unnecessarily supplied 
in the preceding sentences ; but the practical teacher will readily allow that a 
correct analysis is indispensable to the correct reading of a sentence, and that 
the facilities afforded to a child in his first attempts, cannot be too great. It 
will be borne in mind that this book is designed for very young, as well as for 
more advanced pupils. 



IK READING. 103 

LESSON XXX. 

ANTITHESIS. 

The word Antithesis means opposition or contrast. In all 
sentences in which an emphatic word occurs, there is an an- 
tithesis expressed or understood ; and it is necessary to be able 
to distinguish the tvords which form the antithesis, or which 
are contrasted, in order to ascertain which word should be 
emphasized. Thus, in the sentence given in the introduction 
to the 23c? lesson — "Shall you ride to-town to-day?" — 
if the answer be, " No, I shall walk," there is an antithesis, or 
contrast, in the words ride and walk, which shows that ride 
is the emphatic word. Again, if the answer be, " No, I shall 
ride into the country," the antithesis is in the words town and 
country, which shows that the word town is the emphatic 
word. Once more, if the answer be, " No, but I shall go 
to-morrow," the antithesis is in the words to-day and to-mor- 
row, which shows that the word to-day is to be emphasized. 

[It is thus seen, that it is necessary that the pupil should study out 
the meaning of a sentence, and be able to form the antithesis upon 
which the emphatic words depend, in order to read it correctly and 
expressively. This exercise will often require a degree of judgment 
and discrimination not to be expected in a child, until the assistance of 
the teacher comes to his aid. Indeed, it is this very thing which con- 
stitutes the whole art of reading, and which often renders it a subject 
of deep study even to matured minds. It is, however, a subject of 
such paramount importance, that it must not be overlooked or neg- 
lected even in the lessons of very young pupils. The assistance af- 
forded the pupil in this lesson, will lead his mind, it is thought, to a 
correct understanding of the subject, and enable him to apply his 
powers successfully to the analysis of other sentences, in which no 
aid is furnished for him.*] 

* The great importance of a correct understanding of this principle wiH be 
seen in the following passages from holy writ, which are frequently read from 
the sacred desk as Follows : — 

, " As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all MEN." Now, if the em- 
phasis be thus placed en the word men, it would seem as if the apostle would 
imply that it is a duty to live peaceably with men only, but that with women 
and children we may live Ufa different manner. But by placing the emphasis 
on the word all, the inconsistency is removed ; thus, 

a As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with ALL men.' 7 
Again, in the fourth commandment, if the emphasis be put on the word day 
as many read it, thus, " Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath DAY," 
it would seem that the night might be differently occupied. The command- 



104 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

In this lesson the emphatic words which form the antithesis 
are printed in capitals, and the member of the antithesis 
which is understood is supplied in Italic letters between 
crotchets. The pupil will first read the whole passage, and 
then read it with the omission of the part in crotchets. 

625. Mercury, Charon's boat is on the other side of the 
water, (and as there loill be time enough before he gets over to 
this side) allow me, before it returns, to have some conver- 
sation with the North American savage, whom you brought ' p 
hither at the same time that you conducted me to the shades. 

626. Why judge you then so hardly of the dead? 

(I judge so hardly of the dead, not for any thing that 
he has done, but) For what he left undone. 

627. This man of half a million (was not destitute of 
them, but he) had all these public virtues that you praise. 

628. The darts of anguish (may strike, but they) fix 
not where the seat of suffering hath been thoroughly fortified 
by acquiescence in the will supreme, (not only for a short 
pertod, but) for time and for eternity. 

629. Hereditary bondmen ! Know ye not, who would 
be free (must not depend upon the assistance of others, but) 
themselves must strike the blow ? By their right aim, 
(not by the right arm of others) the conquest must be 
wrought. 

630. Where'er we tread (it is not a common spot, but) 

'tis HAUNTED, HOLY ground. 

631. Authors of modern date are (not so poor as they 
formerly were, but they are) wealthy fellows. (It is not 
for the benefit of his assistance) ; Tis but to snip his locks 
they follow now the golden-haired Apollo. 

ment undoubtedly should be read, " Remember that thou keep holy the SAB- 
BATH day. 

The following passage was read from the sacred desk by one of the most 
correct readers of the day, in the hearing of the author of this volume, three 
tim.es, with a false emphasis on the word men; thus, 

" O that MEN would therefore praise the Lord for his goodness, and de- 
clare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men." 

This reading gives rise to the question whether women and children, and 
even angels, &c, should not praise the Lord' for his goodness. The emphasis 
undoubtedly should be placed on the word praise ; thus, " O that men would 
therefore PRAISE the Lord for his goodness, and declare the WONDERS 
that he doeth for the children of men. 77 

This principle of antithesis must be carefully studied by all who aim at cor- 
rect reading. The difference in style which characterizes the most eminent 
speakers and readers is much affected by their peculiar understanding of the 
meaning of an author, and of consequence the manner in which they men- 
tally supply the ellipsis forming the antithesis. 



IN READING. 105 

632. Yet none but you by name the guilty lasn ; [others 
lash them in a different manner,) 

633. It is often said by inconsiderate men, that time (not 
inclination) is wanted for the duties of religion. 

634. My friends ! (do not be hasty, bat) be cautious 
how ye treat the subject upon which we meet. 

635. Misses ! the tale that I relate (is not intended for 
your diversion alone, but it) seems to carry this lesson : 
Choose not alone a proper mate, but proper time to marry. 

636. As much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all 
men, (but not with all women.) 

637. You did not read that last sentence correctly: for 
by emphasizing the word men, you made it appear as if the 
apostle meant that you might quarrel with women and chil- 
dren, (if you would live peaceably with men.) Now, his 
meaning is, that you should live peaceably with all men, 
(not with your friends alone, but with all mankind.) 

Therefore you should read it thus: As much as lieth in 
you, live peaceably with ALL men. 

[Sometimes both the words which constitute the antithesis 
are expressed, as in the following sentence.] 

633. It is from untamed passions, not from wild beasts, 
that the greatest evils arise to human society. 

639. By wisdom, by art, by the united strength of a civil 
community, men have been enabled to subdue (not only one 
single lion, bear, or serpent, but) the whole race of lions, 
bears, and serpents. 



LESSON XXXI. 

ENUMERATION. 

When a number of particulars are mentioned in a sentence, 
it is called an Enumeration. 

In many sentences of this kind, it is proper to use the fall- 
ing inflection of the voice at each of the subjects of the enu- 
meration, except the last but one, which should be read with 
the rising inflection. The following sentences are of this 



106 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

kind. In order to assist the pupil, the acute and grave ac 
cents are used to designate the inflections of the voice, accord- 
ing to the principles stated in Lesson 22, page 70. 

640. But who the melodies of morn can tell ? — The wild 
brook babbling down the mountain's side; the lowing herd ; 
the sheepfold's simple bell ; the pipe of early shepherd, dim 
descried in the lone valley ; echoing far and wide, the clam- 
orous horn along the cliffs above; the hollow murmur of 
the ocean tide; the hum of bees; the linnet's lay of love ; 
an^l the full choir * that wakes the universal grove. 

641. Oh, how canst thou renounce the boundless store of 
charms that Nature to her votary yields ! The warbling 
woodland, the resounding shore, the pomp of groves, the 
garniture of fields; all that the genial ray of morning gilds, 
and all that echoes to the song of even ; all that the moun- 
tain's sheltering bosom shields, and all the dread magnifi- 
cence of heaven, — oh, how canst thou renounce, and hope 
to be forgiven ? 

642. The coffin was let down to the bottom of the grave, 
the planks were removed from the heaped up brink, the first 
rattling clods had struck their knell, the quick shoveling was 
over, and the long, broad, skillfully-cut pieces of turf were 
aptly joined together, and trimly laid by the beating spade, so 
that the newest mound in the churchyard was scarcely dis- 
tinguishable from those that were grown over by the undis- 
turbed grass and daisies of a luxuriant spring. 

643. The poor child of nature knew not the God of reve- 
lation, but the God of the universe he acknowledged in every 
thing around him. He beheld him in the star that sank in 
beauty behind his lonely dwelling; in the sacred orb that 
flamed on him from his midway throne ; in the flower that 
snapped in the morning breeze; in the lofty pine, that defied 
a thousand whirlwinds; in the timid warbler, that never left 
its native grove; in the fearless eagle, whose untired pinion 
was wet in clouds ; in the worm that crawled at his foot ; and 
in his own matchless form, glowing with a spark of that light, 
to whose mysterious source he bent in humble, though blind 
adoration. 

644. Our lives, says Seneca, are spent either in doing 
nothing at all, or in doing nothing to the purpose, or in 
doing nothing that we ought to do. 

* Pronounced quire. 



IN HEADING. 107 

645. It was necessary for the world that arts should be in- 
vented and improved, books written and transmitted to pos- 
terity, nations conquered and civilized. 

64.6. All other arts of .perpetuating our ideas, except wri- 
ting or printing, continue but a short time. Statues can last 
but a few thousands of years, edifices fewer, and colors still 
fewer than edifices. 

647. Life consists, not of a series of illustrious actions, or 
elegant enjoyments ; the greater part of our time passes in 
compliance with necessities, in the performance of daily 
duties, in the removal of small inconveniences, in the pro- 
curement of petty pleasures. 

648. Though we seem grieved at the shortness of life in 
general, we are constantly wishing every period of it at an 
end. The minor longs to be of age, then to be a man of 
business, then to make up an estate, then to arrive at honors, 
then to retire. 

649. The devout man does not only believe, but feels 
there is a Deity ; he has actual sensations of him ; his ex- 
perience concurs with his reason ; he sees him more in all his 
intercourse with him ; and even in this life almost loses his 
faith in conviction. 

650. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are 
these ; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, Iasciviousness, 
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, 
strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, 
revellings, and such like. 

651. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long- 
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. 

652. The ill-natured man, though but of equal parts with 
the good-natured man, gives himself a large field to expatiate 
in ; he exposes those failings in human nature over which the 
other would cast a veil, laughs at vices which the other 
either excuses or conceals, falls indifferently on friends or 
enemies, exposes the person who has obliged him, and, in 
short, sticks at nothing that may establish his character of 
d wit. 

653. What can interrupt the content of the fair sex, upon 
whom one age has labored after another to confer honors, 
and accumulate immunities ? Those to whom rudeness is 
infamy, and insult is cowardice ? Whose eye commands the 
brave, and whose smile softens the severe? Whom the 
sailor travels to addrn, the soldier bleeds to defend, and the 
poet wears out life to celebrate; who claim tribute from 



108 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

every art and science, and for whom, all who approach them 
endeavor to multiply delights, without requiring from them 
any return but willingness to be pleased. 

654. Nature has laid out all her art in beautifying the 
face; she has touched it with vermilion; made it the seat of 
smiles and blushes; lighted it up and enlivened it with the 
brightness of the eyes; hung it on each side with curious or- 
gans of sense; given it airs and graces that cannot be de- 
scribed, and surrounded it with such a flowing shade of hair, 
as sets all its beauties in the most agreeable light. 

655. Should the greater part of the people sit. down and 
draw up a particular account of their time, what a shameful 
bill would it be ! So much in eating, and drinking, and 
sleeping, beyond what nature requires ; so much in revelling 
and wantonness ; so much for the recovery of the last night's 
intemperance ; so much in gaming, plays, and masquerades ; 
so much in paying and receiving formal and impertinent 
visits ; so much in idle and foolish prating, in censuring and 
reviling our neighbors; so much in dressing out our bodies 
and talking of fashions; and so much wasted and lost in 
doincr nothing at all. 

656. They, through faith, subdued kingdoms, wrought 
righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions, 
quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the 
sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in 
fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 

657. I conjure you ry that which you profess, (howe'er 
you came to know it,) answer me. Though you untie the 
winds, and let them fight against the churches; though the 
yesty waves confound and swallow navigation up ; though 
bladed corn be lodged, and trees blown down ; though castles 
topple on their warders' heads; though palaces and pyramids 
do slope their heads to their foundations ; though the treasure 
of nature's germins tumble altogether, even till destruction 
sicken, answer me to what I ask you. 

[Sometimes the falling inflection is used at each particular 
in the enumeration except the last, as in the following 
sentences.] 

65S. To advise the ignorant, relieve the needy, comfQrt 
the afflicted, are duties that fall in our way almost every day 
in our lives. 

659. The miser is more industrious than the saint. The 



IN READING. 109 

pains of getting, the tear of losing, and the inability of enjoy- 
ing his wealth, have been the mark of satire in all ages. 

(360. When ambition palls in one way, interest another, 
inclination a third, and perhaps reason contrary to all, a man 
is likely to pass his time but ill, wbo has so many different 
parties to please. 

661. As the genius of Milton was wonderfully turned to 
the sublime, his subject is the noblest that could have entered 
into the thoughts of man. Every thing that is truly great 
and astonishing has a place in it. The whole system of the 
intellectual world, the chaos and the creation, heaven, earth, 
and hell, enter into the constitution of his poem. 

662. Labor, or exercise, ferments the humors, casts them 
into their proper channels, throws off redundancies, and 
helps nature in those secret distributions, without which, the 
body cannot subsist in its vigor, nor the soul act with cheer- 
fulness. 



LESSON XXXII. 

IRONY. 

Irony consists in such expressions as are intended to con- 
vey a meaning directly opposite to what the words imply. 
Thus, when we say of a boy who never gets his lesson, that he 
is an admirable scholar, this is called Irony. 

'The word or words which are ironical, are generally to be 
emphasized, sometimes with the circumflex, and sometijnes with 
the other accents. In the following sentences the ironical parts 
are printed in Italic letters, and the pupil will manage his 
voice in pronouncing the accented words, according to the 
principles explained in Lesson 22, page 69. 

663. They ivill give enlightened freedom to our minds, 
toho are themselves the slaves of passion, avarice, and pride. 

664. That lulled them as the north wind does the sea. 

665. " This is w ell got up for a closing scene," said Fer- 
gus, smiling disdainfully upon the apparatus of terror. 

666. Your consul is merciful: for this all thanks. — He 
dares not touch a hair of Catiline. 

667. Surely in this age of invention, something maybe 

6 



110 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

struck out to obviate the necessity (if such necessity exists) 
of so tasking — degrading the human intellect. Why should 
not a sort of mute barrel organ be constructed, on the plan 
of those that play sets of tunes and country dances, to indite 
a catalogue of polite epistles, calculated for all the ceremo- 
nious observances of good breeding? O the unspeakable 
relief (could such a machine be invented) of having only to 
grind an answer to one of one's dear five hundred friends. 

668. Or suppose there were to be an epistolary steam- 
engine — Ay, that's the thing — Steam does every thing now- 
a-days. Dear Mr. Brunei, set about it, I beseech you, and 
achieve the most glorious of your undertakings. The block 
machine at Portsmouth would be nothing to it. That spares 
manual labor — this would relieve mental drudgery, and 

thousands yet unborn But hold ! I am not so sure that 

the female sex in general may quite enter into my views of 
the subject, 

669. And it came to pass at noon that v Elijah mocked 
them, and said, " Cry aloud, for he is a God: — either he is 
talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or per ad- 
venture he sleepeth and must be awaked. 

670. We have much reason to believe the modest man 
w r ould not ask him for his debt, where he pursues his life. 

671. O terrible war ! in which this band of profligates 
are to march under Catiline. Draw out all your garrisons 
against this formidable body! 

672. But it is foolish in us to compare Drusus Africanus 
and ourselves with Ciodius ; all our other calamities were 
tolerable ; but no one can patiently bear the death of Ciodius. 

673. Do you think yourself as learned, or as smart a boy 
as Charles ? Has he not learned the whole of the frst page 
in his book? And did he not learn three lines in two hours? 
Could you do as much as that 1 



LESSON XXXIII. 

ANALOGY. 

The word Analogy means resemblance; and it is taken as 
the title of this lesson, to represent the principle stated in the 
preface of this book, founded on the faculty of imitation. 



IN READING. 



Ill 



In connection zoith some colloquial sentence, another of less 
obvious import is given, requiring the same modulations and 
inflections of the voice. The sentences are printed side by 
side, and separated by a line. The pupil icill read both 
sentences in the same manner, with the same modulation, tone, 
emphasis, and expression. The simple or colloquial sentence 
is called the model, and the more difficult one the analogical 
sentence. 



MODELS. 

674. Why did you drive 
your hoop so fast to-day? 

675. Go tell your father 
how naughty you have been, 
and ask your mother to re- 
prove you. 

676. Thomas Smith, go 
away : take your things and 
run. Why do you bring 
such silly things here? Do 
you think I want them, you 
foolish boy ? They are good 
for nothing ; they are not 
worth having. 

677. I would rather be a 
kitten, and cry mew, than one 
of those same prosing letter- 
mongers. 

67S. Do you pretend to 
sit as high in school as An- 
thony ? Did you read as cor- 
rectly, speak as loudly, or be- 
have as well as he?* 

679. Are you the boy of 
whose good conduct I have 
fteard so much ? 

680. Have you not mis- 
employed your time, wasted 



ANALOGICAL SENTENCES. 

674. Why looks your Grace 
so heavily to-day? 

675. Go show your slaves 
how choleric you are, and bid 
your bondmen tremble. 

676. Son of night, retire : 
call thy winds and fly. Why 
dost thou come to my pres- 
ence with thy shadowy arms? 
Do I fear thy gloomy form, 
dismal spirit of Loda ? Weak 
is thy shield of clouds : 
feeble is that meteor thy 
sword. 

677. I'd rather be a dog, 
and bay the moon, than such 
a Roman. 

678. Do you pretend to 
sit as high on Olympus as 
Hercules ? Did you kill the 
Nems'an Iron, the Eryman- 
thian boar, the Lernean ser- 
pent, or Stvmphalian birds? 

679. Art thou the Thra- 
cian robber, of whose ex- 
ploits I have heard so much? 

680. Hast thou not set at 
defiance my authority, violated 



* Some of the sentences in this lesson may be found in previous parts of the 
oook. See page 33, No. 128, &c. 



112 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



your talents, and passed your 
life in idleness and vice? 



681. Who is that standing 
up in his place, with his hat 
on, and his books under his 
arm ? 

6S2. Did he recite his 
lesson correctly, read audi- 
bly, and appear to under- 
stand what he read? 

683. Is that a map which 
you have before you, with 
the leaves blotted with ink? 



684. Henry was careless, 
thoughtless, heedless, and 
inattentive. 

685. Oh, how can you de- 
stroy those beautiful things 
which your father procured 
for you! — that beautiful top, 
— those polished marbles, — 
that excellent ball, — and that 
beautifully painted kite, — oh, 
how can you destroy them, 
and expect that he will buy 
you new ones ? * • 



the public peace, and passed 
thy life in injuring the persons 
and properties of thy fellow 
subjects? 

681. Whom are they ush- 
ering from the world with 
all this pageantry and long 
parade of death? 

682. Was his wealth stored 
fraudfully, the spoil of orphans 
wronged, and widows who 
have none to plead their 
rights? 

683. Is this a dagger which 
I see before me, the handle 
towards my hand ? 

683. Will you say that 
your time is your own, and 
that you have a right to em- 
ploy it in the manner you 
please ? 

684. This is partial, un- 
just, uncharitable, iniqui- 
tous. 

685. Oh, how canst thou 
renounce the boundless store 
of charms that Nature to 
her votary yields ! — the war- 
bling woodland, the resound- 
ing shore, the pomp of groves, 
the garniture of fields ; all 
that the genial ray of morn- 
ing gilds, and all that echoes 
to the song of even, all that 
the mountain's sheltering bo- 
som shields, and all the dread 
magnificence of heaven, — oh, 
how canst thou renounce, and 
hope to be forgiven ? 



* The principle involved in this lesson will be found by the teacher a useful 
auxiliary in leading the pupil to the correct enunciation of difficult sentences. 
It is deemed unnecessary to extend the lesson by numerous inodels, or examples 
of analogy. The teacher will find it easy to form models for the pupil in his 
exercises in reading 5 and if the experience of the author may be adduced in 



TX READING. 113 

LESSON XXXIV. 

THE SLUR.* 

The Slur is the name given to such a management of the 
voice as is opposed to emphasis. When a word or part of a 
sentence is emphasized, it is to be pronounced with a louder 
and more forcible effort of the voice, and it is frequently to 
be prolonged. But when a sentence or part of a sentence is 
slurred, it is to be read like a parenthesis,^ in an altered 
tone of voice, more rapidly, and not so forcibly , and with all 
the words pronounced nearly alilce.^ 

The parts which are to be slurred in this lesson are printed 
in Italic letters % and the words on ichich emphatic force is to 
be bestowed are printed in capitals, as in Lesson 24, page T5. 

proof of the utility and efficacy of the principle, he has little doubt that it will 
be acknowledged as a valuable aid in teaching - the art of reading. 

* The following remarks upon the slur were communicated to the author by a 
distinguished teacher. 

u In order to communicate dearly and forcibly the whole signification of a 
passage, it must be subjected to a rigid analysis. It will then be found, that 
often one paramount idea pervades the sentence, although it may be associated 
with incidental statements, and qualified in every possible manner. It is the 
province of the reader, by appropriate inflections and modulations of the voice, 
to communicate, to the listener every shade of meaning, be it more or less del- 
icate. The primary idea, then, will require a forcible utterance, while the other 
portions will be thrown into the shade. For want of a better name, we may 
designate as ' The Slur' that particular element in elocution, by which those 
parts of a sentence of less comparative importance, are rendeied less impres 
sive to the ear. 

" It will be understood, that the use of stress, alone, can by no means make a 
reader 3 indeed, it is certain that the best elocutionists are they who most 
adroitly blend emphasis and slur. The presence of the slur generally implies 
the existence of emphasis 3 and the former is often used to set an emphatic 
word or phrase in stronger relief. 

" A slurred passage must generally be read in a lower and less forcible 
tone of voice, and more rapidly than the context 3 and this element (namely, 
the slur) must be employed in cases of parenthesis, contrast, repetition, or ex- 
planation, where the sentence is of small comparative importance 3 and often 
where qualification of time, place, or manner is made. 77 

f See page 48, Lesson 16. 

t On the management of the slur, much of the beauty and propriety of 
enunciation depends 3 especially in all sentences in which parentheses abound. 
How much soever a sentence may be cumbered with explanatory details, or 
interrupted and obscured by parentheses and unimportant adjuncts, the reader, 
by a proper management of the slur, can always bring forward the most im- 
portant particulars into a strong light, and throw the rest into shade j thereby 
entirely changing the character of the sentence, and making it appear lucid, 
6trong, and expressive. 

v ] 0^ 



114 



TRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



6S6. Stay, you imperfect speakers, tell me more: By 
SineFs death, I know I am thane of Glamis; but how of 
Cawdor? The thane of Cawdor lives, a prosperous gentle- 
man ; and to be King stands not within the prospect of be- 
lief, no more than to be Cawdor. Say from WHENCE you 
oioe this strange intelligence; — or WHY «pn this blasted 
heath you stop our way with such prophetic greeting. 

687. But let me ask by WHAT RIGHT do you involve 
yourself in this multiplicity of cares ? WHY do you zocavc 
around you this web of occupation, and then complain that you 
cannot break it? 

685. And when the prodigal son came to himself, he said, 
" How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough 
and to spare, and I perish with hunger ! I will arise and GO 
to my father; and will say unto him, 'Father, I have sinned 
against heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to 
be called thy son : — make me as one of thy hired servants.' " 
And he arose, and was coming to his father ; — but while he 
was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had com- 
passion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And 
the son SAID unto him, "Father, I have sinned against 
heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called 
thy son." * 

689. When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees 
had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than 
John, though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples, he 
left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. 

690. Search the Scriptures, for in them, ye think ye have 
eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. 

691. STRANGER, if thou hast learnt a truth which 
needs experience more than reason, that the world is full of 
guilt and misery, and hast known enough of all its sorrows, 
crimes, and oares, to tire thee of it, — enter this wild 
wood, and view the haunts of nature. 

692. The calm shade shall bring a kindred calm, and 
the sweet breeze, that makes the green leaves dance, shall waft 
a balm to thy sick heart. 

693. The massy rocks themselves, the old and ponderous 
trunks of prostrate trees, that lead from knoll to knoll, a 
causey rude, or bridge, the sunken brook, and their dark roots 



* This passage has been previously related 5 and all similar repetitions are 
to be slurred, unless there is particular reason for emphasizing them. 



IX READING. 115 

with all their earth upon them, twisting high, breathe fixed 

TRANQUILLITY. 

694. The rivulet sends forth glad sounds, and tripping 
o'er its bed of pebbly sands, or leaping down the rocks, seems 
with continuous laughter to rejoice in its own being.* 

695. Therefore said they unto him, " How were thine eyes 
opened?" He answered and said, " A man that is called 
Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, 
' Go to the pool of Siloam and wash : ' and I went and 
washed, and I received sight." *********** Then 
again the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. 
He said unto THEM, " He put clay upon mine eyes, and 1 
icashed, and do see" 

696. And oft he traced the uplands, to survey, when o'er 
the sky advanced the kindling dawn, the crimson cloud, 
blue main, and mountain gray, and lake dim gleaming on 
the smoky lawn; — far to the west, the long, long vale with- 
drawn, zahere twilight loves to linger for a while; and now 
he faintly kens the bounding faw t n, and villager abroad at 
early toil. Butlo! the sun appears! and heaven, earth, 
ocean, SMILE. 

697. O God! be thou a God, and spare while yet 'tis 
time! Renew not Adam's fall : — Mankind were then but 
twain; but they are numerous now as are the waves, and 
the tremendous rain, whose drops shall be less thick than 
would their graves, icere graves permitted to the sons of 
Cain. 

698. Mountains interposed, make enemies of nations, 
who had else, like kindred drops, been mingled into one. 

699. No! dear as freedom is, and in my heart s just 
estimation prized above all price, I would much rather be 
myself the slave, and wear the bonds, than fasten them 
on him. 

700. A great city — situated amidst all that nature could 
create of beauty and profusion, or art collect of science and 
magnificence, — the growth of many ages — the scene of 
splendor, festivity , and happiness — in one moment withered 
as by a spell — its palaces, its streets, its temples, its gardens 
glowing with eternal spring, and its inhabitants in the full 
enjoyment of life's blessings, obliterated from their very place 
in creation, not by war, nor famine, or disease, nor any of the 
natural causes of destruction to which earth had been accus- 

* See note on page 145, No. 750. 



116 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

tomed — but in a single night, as if by magic, and amid the 
conflagration, as it v)ere, of nature itself, presented a subject 
on which the wildest imagination might grow weary, without 
even equalling the grand and terrible reality. 

701. And thou, O silent form, alone and bare, whom, as 
I lift again my head, boiced loio in silent adoration, I again 
behold, and to thy summit upward from thy base sweep slowly, 
with dim eyes suffused with tears, AWAKE, thou MOUN- 
TAIN FORM. 

702. Ye stars! ivhich are the poetry of heaven, if in your 
bright leaves we would read the fate of men and empires, — 
'tis to be forgiven, that, in our aspirations to be great, our 
destinies o'erleap their mortal state, and claim a kindred 
with you ; for ye are a beauty and a mystery, and create 
in us such love and reverence from afar, that fortune, 
fame, power, life, have named themselves a star. 

703. A few hours more, and she will move in stately 
grandeur on, cleaving her path majestic through the flood, 
as if she were a goddess of the deep. 

704. Falsely luxurious, will not man awake, and spring- 
ing from the bed of sloth, enjoy the cool, the fragrant, and 
the silent hour, to meditation due and sacred song? 

705. For is there aught in sleep can charm the wise ? 
To lie in dead oblivion, losing half the fleeting moments of 
too short a life; — total extinction of the enlightened, soul! 
Or else to feverish vanity alive, wildered and tossing through 
distempered dreams ! 

708. But yonder comes the powerful KING OF DAY, 
rejoicing in the east. The lessening cloud, the kindling 
azure, and the mountains brow illumed with fluid gold, his 
near approach betoken glad. LO, NOW, APPARENT 
ALL, aslant the dew-bright earth and colored air, he looks 
in boundless MAJESTY abroad, and sheds the shining day, 
that burnished plays on rocks, and hills, and towers, and 
wandering streams, HIGH GLEAMING from afar. 

707. PRIME CHEERER, LIGHT! of all material 
beings FIRST AND BEST; EFFLUX DIVINE, NA- 
TURE'S RESPLENDENT ROBE ! without whose vesting 
beauty all were wrapt in unessential gloom; and THOU, 
O SUN! SOUL of surrounding WORLDS! in whom, 
best seen, shines out thy Maker — may I sing of thee? 

70S. 'Tis by thy secret, strong, attractive force, as with 
a chain indissoluble bound, thy system rolls entire; from the 



IX READING. 117 

far bourn of utmost Saturn, w h cdlng wide his round of thirty 
years, to Mercury, whose disk can scarce be caught by philo- 
sophic eye, lost in the near effulgence of thy blaze. 

709. And thus, in silent waiting, stood the piles of stone 
and piles of wood ; TILL DEATH, who, in his vast affairs, 
ne'er puts things off — as men in theirs — and thus, if I the 
truth must tell, does his work finally and well, WINKED 
at our hero as he passed, " Your house is finished, sir, at 
last; a narrower house — a house of clay — your palace 
for another day." 

710. The smoothness of flattery cannot now avail — 
cannot SAVE us in this rugged and awfiol crisis, 

711. What PROFIT hath a man of all his labor, which 
he taketh under the sun 1 

712. IS there any thing whereof it may be said, " See, this 
is new ? " Thething which HAS been, it is that which shall 
be, and that which IS done, is that which SHALL be done, 
and there is no NEW thing under the sun. 

713. THOU, glorious mirror, where the Almighty' s form 
glasses itself in tempests, in ALL time, calm or convulsed, in 
breeze, or gale, or storm, icing the pole, or in the torrid 
clime dark heaving, BOUNDLESS, ENDLESS, and SUB- 
LIME — the image of Eternity — the throne of the Invisi- 
ble; even from out thy slime, the monsters of the deep are 
made; each zone obeys thee — thou goest forth, DREAD, 
FATHOMLESS, ALONE. 

714. CENTER of light and energy ! thy way is 
through the unknown void ; thou hast thy throne, morning 
and evening, and at noon of day, far in the blue, untended 
and alone : Ere the first wakened airs of earth had blow 7 n, 
on didst thou march, triumphant in thy light. Then didst 
thou send thy glance, which still hath floivn wide through the 
never-ending worlds of night; and yet thy full orb burns with 
flash unquenched and bright. 

715. In thee, FIRST LIGHT, the bounding ocean smiles, 
when the quick winds uprear it in a swell, that rolls in glit- 
tering green around the isles, where ever-springing fruits and 
blossoms dwell. 

716. THINE are the MOUNTAINS, — tvhere they 
purely lift snows that have never wasted, in a sky which 
hath no stain; below the storm may drift its darkness, and 
the thunder-gust roar by; — ALOFT, in thy eternal smile, 
they lie, DAZZLING, but COLD; — thy farewell glance 



118 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

looks there, and when below thy hues of beauty die, girt 
round them as a rosy belt, they bear into the high, dark 
vault, a brow that still is fair. 

717. May THE LIKE SERENITY, in such dreadful 
circumstances, and a DEATH EQUALLY GLORIOUS, 
be the lot of all whom TYRANNY, of whatever denomina- 
tion or description, SHALL, in any age, or in any country, 
CALL to expiate their virtues on the scaffold. 

718. Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all 
sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a MOMENT, in the 
TWINKLING of an EYE, AT the LAST TRUMP; for 
the trumpet shall sound, and the dead be raised- incorruptible, 
and toe shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on 
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and 
this mortal shall have put on immortality , then shall be 
brought to pass the saying that is written, DEATH is 

SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. 

719. O WINTER ! ruler of the inverted year ! 
thy scattered hair with sleet-like ashes filled, thy breath 
congealed upon thy lips, thy cheeks fringed with a beard 
made white with other snows than those of age, thy forehead 
torapped in clouds, a leafless branch thy scepter, and thy throne 
a sliding car, indebted to no wheels, but urged by storms 
along its slippery way, I LOVE THEE, all UNLOVELY 
as thou seem'st, and DREADED as thou ART. 

720. Lo ! the unlettered hind, who never knew to raise 
his mind excursive to the heights of abstract contemplation, 
as he sits on the green hillock by the hedge-row side, what 
time the insect swarms are murmuring, and marks, in silent 
thought, the broken clouds, thai fringe with loveliest hues 

. the evening sky, feels in his soul the hand of nature rouse 
tbe thrill of gratitude to him who formed the goodly 
prospect ; he beholds the god throned in the west ; and 
his reposing ear hears sounds angelic in the fitful breeze, that 
1 floats through neighboring copse or fairy brake, or lingers, 
playful, on the haunted stream. 

721. They shall hear of my vengeance, that would 
scorn to listen to the story of my wrongs. The miserable 
Highland drover, bankrupt, barefooted, stripped of all, 
dishonored, and hunted down, because the avarice of others 
grasped at more than that poor all could pay , shall burst on 
them in an awful change. 



IN READING, 119 

LESSON XXXV. 

MEASURE OF SPEECH.* 



In Lesson 10th, page 16th, the pupil was informed that a pause is 
sometimes made in reading, where there is no pause in the book. The 
pause to which allusion is there made, is rendered necessary to allow 
the reader to take breath. This lesson is designed to explain to the 
pupil another sort of pause, or rather interruption of the voice, caused 
by the peculiar operation of the organs of speech. 

Dr. Rush, in his work " On the Human Voice," has remarked, with 
regard to the manner in which children learn to read, that " the close 
attention which their ignorance requires, and their slowness of utter- 
ance, lead them to lay an equal stress upon every syllable, or at least 
upon every word. This habit continues a long time after the eye has 
acquired a facility in following up discourse, and in some cases infects 
pronunciation throughout subsequent life." 

The object of this lesson, which is entitled u Measure of Speech" is 
twofold : 1st. To teach the pupil so to manage his voice, in conformity 
with the natural operation of the organs of speech, as to. break up the 
monotonous, or "equal" manner of reading above mentioned, and to 
introduce such an agreeable variety, as will cause peculiar melody of 
utterance ; and, 2dly. To enable him to read in such a manner that he 
will not be " out of breath" and consequently to exercise his voice 
without fatigue. 

A Measure of Speech consists of an accented and an 
unaccented portion of sound, produced by one effort of the 
voice. 

In pronouncing an accented syllable, the voice makes an effort, 
which must be repeated, if the next syllable is also an accented syl- 
lable. But if the next syllable or syllables be unaccented, the voice 
can pronounce them all with a single effort. Thus the words spirt, 
spirit, spiritual, or spiritually, may each be pronounced with a single 
effort or pulsation of the voice. 



* The teacher who would thoroughly understand the subject treated in this 
lesson, and who aims at excellence in the art of reading, is referred to the 
very valuable and scientific work of Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, entitled the 
" Philosophy of the Human Voice/ ; or to Dr. Barber's Grammar of Elocution, 
a work founded on the principles advanced by Dr. Rush. Dr. Barber, whose 
opinion on the subject has great weight, says, " In Dr. Rush's work, the reader 
may repair to a fountain at once deep and foil." In another place, Dr. Barber 
assures " every public speaker, and every philosophical actor, that he will fail 
in his duty to himself, if lie neglects a diligent perusal of Dr. Rush's Philosophy 
of the Voice." The same may also be said in relation to Dr. Barber's own 
work. From the works of both these gentlemen, the author has derived as- 
sistance in the preparation of these Exercises. 



120 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

It may here be remarked, that it is not material whether the syl- 
lables belong to the same word. The voice may utter, with a single 
effort, several syllables, even when they constitute different words. 
Thus each of the following lines may be pronounced by a single effort 
or pulsation of the voice : — 

Came to the — 
When he was in — 
'Twas at the — 
Does to the — 
Oft did the — 
Utterable, &c/ 

But when two accented syllables follow one another, there must be a 
distinct effort or pulsation of the voice to pronounce each. Thus the 
words fate, hate, both being accented, require a distinct effort or pulsa- 
tion of the voice for the pronunciation of each ; and a pause must be 
made between each, long enough to pronounce an unaccented syllable. 
It will thus be seen, that the two syllables fatal, or hating, can be pro- 
nounced by the same effort that is required to pronounce the syllables 
fate and hate. And here it may be remarked that, while an accented 
syllable requires a distinct effort or pulsation of the voice in pro- 
nouncing it, an unaccented syllable is uttered without such effort. 
This distinction of the voice, in pronouncing accented and unaccented 
syllables, is called by Dr. Barber, in his Grammar of Elocution, the 
pulsative and the remiss action of the voice. 

An accented syllable, therefore, is uttered by the pulsative* 
action of the voice. 

An unaccented syllable is uttered by the remiss* action of 
the voice. 

A perfect measure of speech consists of one syllable, or any 
number of syllables, [not exceeding five,) uttered during one 
pulsation and remission of the voice. 

It may here be remarked, that a single syllable may constitute a 
measure; for if it be extended in sound, the first part of that sound 
may be accented or heavy, and the latter unaccented or light. But a 
short syllable will not constitute a measure. 

More than one syllable cannot be uttered during the pulsative effort 
of the voice ; while one, two, three, and even four, can be uttered 
during the remiss action ; as in the word spiritually, in which the 
first syllable, spir, is pronounced by the pulsative, and the syllables 
itually by the remiss action of the voice. 



* As a proper understanding of those terms is deemed essential to a dear 
comprehension of the principle on which this lesson is founded, the teacher 
who wishes a fuller development of the subject, is referred to Dr. Barber's 
Grammar of Elocution — or to Dr. Rush's work, already mentioned, on the 
Philosophy of the Human Voice, Section 49th, entitled " the Rhythmus of 
Speech." 



rx HEADING. 



12.1 



An imperfect measure of speech consists of a single sylla- 
ble on which the acute accent is placed, — or of a syllable or 
syllables which are unaccented. 

In the following examples for reading, the lines are di- 
vided into several parts, which are separated by a mark like 
this | called a bar, and the parts divided by the bars are all 

PERFECT Or IMPERFECT MEASURES OF SPEECH. 

The accented syllables, or those which require the pulsa- 
tive effort of the voice, are noted by a star * under them, 
and the unaccented syllables, or those which require the re- 
miss action of the voice, have hyphens - under them. 

The time occupied in reading each portion between the 
bars must be equal, whether the bar includes a perfect or 
imperfect measure of speech. A bar may contain an imper- 
fect measure; the accented or the unaccented portions of the 
measure being omitted. In that case, a mark like this ^j is 
inserted, to indicate a rest or stop long enough to pronounce 
the portion which is omitted.* 

[Iji reading the following passages, the pupil will recollect 
that all the syllables which have a star under them are ac- 
cented — that all which have the hyphen under them are 
unaccented — and that all the marks like this ^ indicate that 
a pause is to be made long enough to pronounce an unaccented 
syllable.] 

722. 



~1 In the 



second 



century 



era 



~| the 



empire 



of 



Rome 



of the 



compre- 



Christian 



hended the 



fairest 



part of the ! earth 



^l and the 



ized portion of man- 



most ^1 I civil- 
* #■■> 

I 



kind. 



* Dr. Rush, in the very valuable work already mentioned, has the following 
remarks in relation to the method of marking and dividing sentences here in- 
t roc 5 -.: red : — 

" This notation will not, indeed, inform us what syllables are lobe emphatic, 
nor where the pauses are to be placed ; but it will enable a master, who knows 
how to order all these things in speech, to furnish that which most men require 
for every thing they do — a copy. If a boy is taught by this method, he ac- 
quires the habit of attention to the subjects of accentuation and pause, which 
may be readily applied in ordinary discourse." 
11 



122 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 







723. 


Twas at the 

* - - 


royal 
* - 


feast ^ 



"1 for 



Persia 

* 



won. 



HOHENLINDEN.' 



~) On 

~] All 



Linden 
bloodless 



* - 



11 



^1 And 



~| Of 



Iser 

* _ 



dark as 



rolling 



724. 
when the 



sun was I low 



lay the un- 



winter 
rapidly. 



trodden 



snow 



^] was the I flow | 



11 11 



~] But 



Linden 



ii 



When the 
~\ Corn- 



drum 

* - 

landing 



^| The I darkness 



725. 

saw an- 



beat 

4 . 



1 at 



other 
dead of 



sight 



fires of 



~| of her 



death 



~]to 



night 
liffht 



scenery. 



11 11 



IBy 
Each 



torch and 
horseman 



726. 



trumpet 
drew his 



11 



fast ar- 



battle 



blade 



rayed 

ii 



* Although there are many poetical extracts in the preceding parts of this 
book r this is the first extract in which the lines are distinguished. All the pre- 
ceding extracts have been presented in sentences like prose, to prevent that 
"sing song 77 maimer of reading into which children are apt to fall. It is 
thought that the introductory remarks in this lesson are adapted to prepare 
the pupil to read verse, without the danger of " favoring the poetry/' as this 
sing-song is sometimes called. The usual punctuation is omitted, in this lesson, 
as the system of notation adopted fully supplies its place. 



IN READING. 



123 



~] And 



furious 



11 



every 



charger 



neighed 



^ To join the dreadful revelry. ^ ^ 



Then 
Then 



shook the 



rushed the 



hills 
steeds 



727. 
~] with 



X\ And 



Ipuder than the 



Far 



flashed 



~1 the 



red 



7? 

bolts of 
* - 

1 ar- 



thunder 
battle 



riven 



driven 



heaven 



tillery. 
* 



n 



11 



^ And 
*1 On 
"| And 



~) Of Iser 



redder 

* . 


yet 

* - 


T 


those 


fires shall 

0f 


glow 
* - 


* 


Linden's 


| hills of 
i 


blood-stained 


snow 1 ^j^l 


darker 


yet 

* - 


i 


shall 


be the 


flc 


>w 







rolling rapidly. ^f] ^ 



729. 



*1 'Tis 

* 

~j Can 



morn 



11 



~| Where 



pierce the 
furious 



11 



Shout in their 



^ The combat 
* _ j * - 

'i Who 1 rush to 



^ but 
war clouds 

Frank 

* 

sulphurous 
deepens w 
glory I 11 



scarce 



yon 



lurid 



sun 



~] and 



rolling 

fiery 
canopy. 



dun 



11 



Hun 

11 I * 



11 



On 

* _ 



lye 



or the grave 



brave 

ii 



124 

Wave 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



Munich 



*M 



*"] And I charge 
* . I # 



**] with 



all 



all thy 
Hthy 



banners 



wave 



chivalry. 



*M 



^M 



Few 

# „ 

vjThe 

# 

^ And 
*| Shall 



^m 



few shall 
* 



730. 

where 



snow 

every 

* - - 

be a 



part 

*1 shall be their 
* - - 

be 



many 
winding- 



meet 
sheet 



turf 

# - 

soldier's 
# 



neath their j feet] 
- I* -1 
sepulchre. I *?*\ I ~H I 



CATHARINA. 



731. 



1 


She 


*1 

# 


And 


* 


The 


"1 


And 



**| she is 
meet perhaps 



came *i 



gone 



^i we have 1 met M 



sun of 



that *| 



seems to have 



never a- 

* - - 

moment 
risen in 



gam 

*1 is 



set ^ 



vain. *1 



732. 



I i 


Catha- 


rina 


^ has 


fled like a 


drear 




# 


* 


# 


* 


* - 


So 


vanishes 


pleasure 


Ma- 


las ^ 




* - 


* - - 


* 


# _ 


# 




But has 


left *i 


H a re- 


gret ^ 


*1 and es- 


* 


# - 


* - _ 


# 


* 


*| That 


will not so 


suddenly 


pass. ^ 




* 




# 


- 


- 


# 




' - 




* 





teem 













TN READING. 










12 


733. 


11" 

* 


yonder 

* 


grave 

* 


1 a 

* 


Druid 

* 


lies ~] 
* 




*1 Where 


slowly 


winds the 


stealing 


wave ^ 


n; 


~j The 


year's 


best 


sweets shall 


duteous 


rise^ | 


* 


* 


* - 


* 


* 


* - ! 


~| To 
* 


de 


ck 


~| its 
* 


Poet's 


sylvan 




grave. 

* - 







[The pupil will observe that prose as well as poetry is 
made up of similar measures of speech. The only differ- 
ence in sound, between poetry and prose, is, that poetry or 
verse consists of a regular succession of similar measures, 
which produce a harmonious impression on the ear; while 
in prose, the different kinds of measure occur promiscuously, 
without any regular succession. The following example 
affords an instance of prose divided off into measures.] 



And I be- 



held 



734. 

~1 and I 



heard the 



voice of 



ma- 



ny 
beasts 
them 
sand 
with a 



angels 



round a- 



bout the 



^ and the 

^ was 
* 

~] and 



elders 
* 



ten ~) 



n 

thousand 



throne 
* 

~] and the 



^ and the 



number of 



times 



ten ~] 



thousands of 



thousands 



n 



thou- 
Saying 



loud 



slain ^| 



voice 



~] to re- 



Tl 



Worthy is the 



Lamb that 



ceive 



~1 and 



wisdom 



~| and 



power 
strength 



~| and 
~] and 



riches 
honor 



and 



gtory j ^ and 
11* 



blessing. 

* 



126 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

[In the following extracts, the marks of the accented and 
unaccented syllables are omitted, but the bars and rests are 
retained. The usual punctuation is also restored.] 

735. 

PART OF THE NINTH CHAPTER OF ST. JOHN. 

And as | Jesus | passed | by, ^ | ^ he | saw a | man which 
was | blind from his | birth. | ^j^ | ^^j | And his dis- | ci- > 
pies | asked him, | saying, | Master, | who did | sin, ^| 
^ this | man | ^ or his | parents, | that he was | born ^ | 
blind? | H | H | Jesus | answered, | Neither hath this j 
man | sinned | nor his | parents : | ^\ | but that the | 
works of | God | ^| should be | made *"] | manifest in | him. 
11 I 11 I * must I wor k the | works of | him that | sent 
me, | while it is | day : | ^ | ^ the | night | cometh | 
^ when | no ^ | man | can ^ | work. ~] | ^ | *-]*] | ^ As | 
long | ^ as f I am in the | world, ^ | I | am the | light | 
~j of the | world, | Ti I 11 | When he had | thus ~| | 
spoken, | 1 he | spat on the | ground, ^ | ^] and | made | 
clay | ^ of the | spittle, | and he a- | nointed the | eyes ^] | 
*) of the | blind | man | ~] with the | clay, ~| | ^ and | said 
unto him, | Go, ^ | wash in the | pool of | Siloam, | ^^j | 
(which is, by in- | terpre- | tation, | Sent.) | ^^j | ^ \ 
^] He | went his | way, | therefore, | ^ and | washed, | 
~j and | came f seeing. | ^ | ^ | 

^ The j neighbors | therefore, | ^| and | they which be- j 
fore had | seen him, | that he was | blind, 1*^^ | said, ^ | 
Is not | this ^ | he that | sat and | begged? | ^ | ^ j 
Some | said, ~| | This | is | he; | ^ | others | said, ~| | He 

is | like him : | TI I 1 but I he I said > II I I am I he - i 11 1 
T | Therefore j said they unto him, | ^ | How | were 
thine | eyes | opened? | w | w | | ^\ | ^j He | answered and | 
said, | ^ A | man | ^j that is | called | Jesus, | made | clay, | 
^| and a- | nointed mine | eyes, | **] and | said unto me, | 
Go to the | pool of | Siloam, | ~] and | wash : ^ | ^ j 
*"j and I | went and | washed, | ^j and I re- | ceived | sight. | 



IN READING. 127 

Tl I Tl 1 Thcn I said the y unt0 him > I T\ I Wh ere | is 
he? , ^ | ~] | He | said, ~j H | I know not. | ~ft | ~]~] | 

^| They | brought to the | Pharisees | him that a- | fore 
time | ~j was | blind. | ~|~] | And it was the j Sabbath | 
day ^ | ^ w r hen | Jesus | made the | clay, | *1 and | opened 
his j eyes. | ^^\ | Then a- | gain the | Pharisees | also | 
asked him | how he had re- | ceived his [ sight. | ^^j | 
w | He | said unto | them,* | ^| He | put ""} [ clay ^] j ^j upon 
mine | eyes', | w j and I | washed | and do | see. | ^^j | ^^ | 
Therefore said | some of the | Pharisees, | ^ This | man 
is | not of | God, | ^ be- | cause | ^ he | keepeth not the | 
Sabbath | day. | ^^ | Others | said, ^] | How can a ] man 
that is a | sinner, | do such | miracles ? | ^j^ | And there 
was | ^ a di- | vision a- | mong them. | ^j^J | ^j^j | ^ They 
say | unto the | blind j man a- | gain, ^j | ^j^j ] Vv 7 hat | 
sayest | thou of him? | that he hath | opened thine | eyes? | 
^ | ~] He - said, ~1 [ He is a | prophet. | ^ , *"]*] | 

736. 

PSALM CXXXIX. 

O | Lord, ~| ] thou hast | searched me, | *"] and | known 
me. | ^ | ~f*\ | ~] Thou | knowest my | down j sitting | 
^j and mine | up *"] | rising; | ^ thou | under- | standest 
my | thoughts | ~j a- | far | off. ~] | ~H | ^ | Thou j 
compassest my | path, ^j [ ^] and my | lying | down, ^ j and 
art ac- | quainted with | all my | ways. | ^\ | For there is | 
not a | w r ord in my | tongue, | ^ but j lo, ^j | O ^ | Lord, | 
thou ~j | knowest it | alto- | gether. j ~"fj | ^ | Thou hast 
be- | set me j ^j be- | hind and be- j fore, ^] | ^ and j laid 
thine j hand up- | on me. j ^j | ^ | Such ^ |. knowledge 
is j too | wonderful for | me : j w j w j | it is | high, ^ | w | I j 
cannot at- | tain unto it. | ^ j ^ | Whither shall I ] 
go ~] | ^ from thy j spirit? | ^ | *| or | Whither shall I j 
flee lrom thy | presence ? | ^| j *ffi ] If I as- | cend ""j | 

* See Number 695, page 115. 



128 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



up into | heaven, | ^ | thou art | there : | ^ | if I | 
make my | bed in | hell, | ^] be- | hold, ~] | thou art | there. | 

W|W| j w|W| | J f J | take the I wingg of the I morning I wj an(] , 

dwell in the | uttermost | parts of the | sea : | ^1^) | Even | 
there | ^ shall thy | hand w ) | lead me, | ~] and thy | 
right ~| | hand shall | hold me. | ^ | ^ | If I | say, | Surely 
the | darkness shall | cover me : | ^\ | even the | night ^j | 
~) shall be | light a- | bout me : | ^ | Yea, | ~| the dark* 
ness | hideth not from | thee ; | ^j^ | but the | night | shineth 
as the | day : | ^ | ^) the | darkness | and the | light ~| | 
*] are | both a- | like | ~] to | thee. | Tl I Tl I 



737. 

MARCO BOZZARIS. 



[He fell in an attack upon the Turkish camp at Lapsi, the site of 
-ancient Platsea, August 20, 1823, and expired in the moment of 
victory.] 

""] At | midnight, | ^ | in his | guarded | tent, ^ | 
^ The | Turk | ^] was | dreaming | ^] of the | hour, | 

^ When | Greece, | ^] her | knee in | suppliance | bent, *] | 
^) Should | tremble | ^] at his | power ; | 

*y\ | ^ In | dreams, | ^) through | camp and j court, ^j | 
~] he | bore ~] | 

^| The | trophies | ^ of a | conqueror. | 

In | dreams, | ^ his | song of | triumph | heard ; | v j s '{ 

11 !_ 

Then **] | wore his | monarch's | signet | ring, — | 
Then **] | press' d that | monarch's | throne, — | ^^ | **] a 

I King; 1 HI) 
^ As | wild his | thoughts, *] | ^| and | gay of | wing, | | 
~] As [. Eden's | garden | bird. ^| j ^ | ^ \ 

738. 
~) At | midnight, | ~| in the | forest | shades, | ^ j 

^1 Boz- | zaris | ranged his | Suliote |" band, | ^j^j [ 
True | ^] as the | steel | *j of their | tried | blades, | 

Heroes j ~| in | heart and | hand; | ^ | ^ j 



IN READING. 129 

There had the | Persian's | thousands | stood, ^| | 
There | ~| had the | glad ~| | earth ~] | drunk their | blood *] | 

~] | On | old Pla- | taea's | day: | 
^] And | now, ^ | ^ there | breathed that | haunted | air ^| | 
The | sons | ^ of | sires who | conquered | there, ^ | 
^] With | arm to | strike ^ | ^ and | soul to | dare, | 

^ As | quick, ^ | ^ | ^ as | far as | they. ^ | ^ | ^ | 

739. 
*] An | hour pass'd | on — ~| | ^ | *"] the | Turk a- | woke : 

I Tl I 

That ~] | bright ^ | dream | ~| was his | last; ^ | ^ | 
*"] He | woke — ^ | *"] to | hear his | sentry's | shriek, | 
^ " To | arms ! | ~| they | come ! | ~] the | Greek, ~| | ~] the 

! Greek." ^ | 
^ He | woke — to | die | *] midst | flame and | smoke, ^] | 
**] And | shout, and | groan, and | saber stroke, *] | 
^ | ^| And | death-shots | falling | thick and | fast *) | 
*"] As | lightnings | ^] from the | mountain | cloud ; ^] | ^^ | 
^ And | heard, w | | *] with | voice as | thunder | loud, ^ | 

*"] Boz- | zaris | cheer his | band; ( 
^1 | " Strike — ^| | ~] till the | last | armed | foe ex- | pires, 

Strike | ^~j | ^| for your | altars | ^ and your ] fires, ^ | 

w n i 

Strike j ^ for the | green | graves of your | sires, | ^\ | 
God— ^ | ~| and your | native | land ! " ~] | ^ | ^ | 

740. 
They | fought, ^ | ^ like | brave | men, ^ | long and | well, 

il ii i 

^| They | piled that | ground | ""] with | Moslem | slain, ^ | 
^ They | conquered — | ^\ | but- Boz- | zaris | fell, ^ j 
^ | Bleeding at | every | vein. ~] | ^ | ^ | ^ | 
^| His | few sur- | viving | comrades j """p"] | saw *"] | 
w | His | smile, J ^| when | rang their | proud ^] | hurrah, j 



130 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



And the ( red ~j | field ^ | was | won ; ^ | Ti I 
Then | saw in | death ^ | ^| his | eyelids | close ^ | 
Calmly, | as to a | night's re- | pose, ^] | 

~] Like | flowers at | set of | sun. ~| | Tl I Tl I 

741. 

Come to the | bridal | chamber, | Death! ^| | 

Come to the | mother, | ^| when she | feels, ^ | 
^ For the | first ~| | time, ~] | ~] her | first-born's | breath ; | 
^^j | Come when the | blessed | seals ^] | 
Which' | close the | pestilence | ^ are | broke, ^ | ^ | 
^| And | crowded | cities | wail its | stroke ; - — *"] | w ] w ] j 
Come in con- | sumption's ghastly | form, *1 
^] The | earthquake | shock, ^j | ^] the | ocean | storm; — | 
Come when the | heart | beats | high and | warm, ^ 

^ With | banquet | song, | ^j and | dance, and | wine, ^ J 
^ | And | thou art | terrible ! — ~| the | tear, **] | 
~j The | groan, | *"] the | knell, *] | ^| the | pall, ^ | w 

the | bier, | 
^| And | all we | know, | ^ or | dream, or | fear *"] | 
"1 Of | agony, M are | thine. Ml Ml | 

742. 
But to the | hero, | **] when his | sword *] | 

^ Has | won the | battle | ^ for the | free, | ^ | 
*"] | Thy voice ^ | sounds like a j prophet's | word, ^ | ^ j 
And in its | hollow | tones are | heard *] j 

^ The | thanks of | millions | yet to | be. ^ | ^ | ^ | 
*j Boz- | zaris ! j ^ J ^ with the | storied | brave *] | 

Greece | nurtured | *"] in her | glory's time, ^] | ^ j 
Rest thee — | ^\ | there is | no j prouder | grave, | 

Even in her | own y\ | proud ^ | clime. | ^ | ^ | 

w j We | tell thy | doom | ^ with- | out a | sigh; ^ | 
For thou art | Freedom's | now, ~| | ^ and | Fame's ; ~) | *]*] | 
One of the | few, ^ | ^ the im- | mortal | names, | ^ j 

^ That | were not | born to | die. ~] | ^ | ^ | 



IX READING. 131 

743. 
antony's oration over cesar's body. 

Friends, | ^f] | Romans, | l "f-| | Countrymen! | ^ | 

Lend me your | ears ; | ^j^j | ^^ | 
^ I | come | ^ to | bury | Caesar, | ^^j | not to | praise | 

him. | -n i Tl I 

~] The | evil, | ~] that | men | do, | lives | after them ; | w |~j ] 
*] The | good | w ] is | oft in- | terred | *| with their | 

bones : | ^f - ] | 
So let it | be | ^ with | Caesar ! | Tl M The i nobIe I 

Brutus | 
^| Hath | told you, j Caesar | ^ was am- | bitious. | ^ | 
If it | were so, | it was a j grievous | fault; | ^j^ | 
*"] And | grievously | ^ hath | Caesar [ answered it. | ^j^ | 
Here, | under | leave of | Brutus | *] and the | rest, | 
*"] (For | Brutus | *] is an | honorable | man, | ^p*] | 
So are they | all. ^ | all | honorable | men :) | ^j^ | 
Come I n to | speak H in | Cesar's | funeral. | Tl | ~f] | 

744. 
He was my | friend,* | ^ | faithful | ^ and | just to | 
me: | Tl I 
^ But j Brutus ] says | he was am- | bitious ; | *■]*] | 
^ | ~| And | Brutus | ~j is an | honorable | man. | ~(*\ | 

Tl I 
He hath | brought | many | captives | home to | Rome, | 

^| Whose j ransoms | ^ did the | general | coffers | fill: 

i n i ti i 

~] Did | this | ~| in | Caesar | seem am- | bitious ? | Tl I TTI 
When that the | poor have | cried, | ^] | Csesar hath | 

wept; | ti l Tl ! 

^ Am- | bition | w | should be | made of | sterner | stuff. | 

lit III 

* See Number 523 , page 77, 



132 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

1 Yet [ Brutus | says | 1 he | was am- [ bitious ; | 
H | 1 And | Brutus | 1 is an | honorable | man. | H { 

11 I 

1 You | all did | see, | 1 that, j on the | Lupercal, | 
1 I J thrice pre- | sented him | 1 a | kingly | crown ; | 
H *| Which he did | thrice | 1 re- | fuse. | Tl I 1 Was 

this am- | bition * | Tl | Tl | 
1 Yet | Brutus | says | he was am- | bitious ; | H 
1 And | sure, | 1 he [ is | 1 an | honorable | man. | H j 

745. 
H | 1 I | speak not | 1 to dis- | prove | what | Brutus | 

spoke; | 
1 But | here | I am to | speak | what I do | know. | H | 

11 ! 

1 You | all did | love him | once ; | H | not without | 

cause: | H | 
What | cause with- | holds you, | then, | 1 to | mourn I 

for him? | T| | T| | 

| judgment, | H | Thou art | fled to j brutish | 

beasts, | 11 | 

1 And ] men | 1 have | lost their | reason ! | 11 | H | 

Bear with me : | 
H | 1 My | heart 1 | is in the | coffin | there | 1 with 

| Caesar; | 
11 | And I must | pause 1 | till it | come | back to me. 

I 11 I 11 I 

746. 
1 But | yesterday, | 1 the | word of | Caesar | might | 

I Have | stood a- | gainst the | world ! | H | now | lies 

he | there, | 

II | 1 And | none | so | poor | 1 to | do him | rever- 

ence. |TI | Tl I 

I masters! | H | If I were dis- | posed to | stir | 

1 Your | hearts and | minds | 1 to j mutiny and | rage, | 



IN READING. 133 

[ should do j Brutus | wrong, | *"] and | Cassius | ^] | 

wrong ; | 
^ | Who, | ^1 you | all | know, | *] are | honorable | men. 

i 11 i ti i 

^j I | will not | do | them | wrong ; | ^| J *]*"] | I | rather 

| choose | 
^ To | wrong the | dead, | ^ to | wrong my- j self | ^ 

and | you, j 
Than I will | wrong | such ^ | honorable | men. J ^j^ ] 

11 I 

747. 

*"] But | here's a ) parchment | **] with the [ seal of | 

Ca:sar; | 
~\ I j found it | ^ in his j closet ; | ~j~] | 'Tis his ] will : 

I 11 I 
Let but the | commons | hear [ *"| this | testament, | ^^ | 

^| (Which, j pardon me, | ^ I | do not | mean to | read,) | 

*^\ | And they would ] go | *\ and | kiss | dead | Caesar's 

| wounds, | 

^] And | dip their | napkins | ^] in his | sacred | blood; | 

^\ | Yea, | beg a | hair of him | w | for | memory, | 

^| And | dying, | *ffi | mention it j within their | wills, | 

^^j | ^1 Be- | queathing it | ""] as a j rich w j | legacy, | 

Unto their | issue. | *f| | ^ | 

748. 
If vou have | tears, | ^j pre- | pare to | shed them | 
now. | TI i 11 I 
^ You | all do | know | this | mantle: | ^j^ | I remem- 
ber | m 
**] The | first | time | ever | Caesar | put it | on ; | ^ | 
'Twas on a | summer's | evening, | ^ in his | tent ; | ^j^] | 
That | day | ~j he | overcame the | Nervii : | ^ | *|1 I 
Look 1 | ^| in | this | place | ran | Cassius' | dagger | 

through! | ~H I 11 I 
See what a | rent | ^ the J envious | Casca J made ! | ^\ 

I ii i , 



134 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

Through | this | ~] the | well be- | loved | Brutus | stabbed, 

111 I 
^ | And as he | plucked his | cursed | steel a- | way | 

^ | Mark ~] | how the | blood of | Caesar | followed it. 

ni nil 

749. 

This | ^| was the | most un- | kindest | cut of | all! | 
~)^\ | ^ For | when the | noble | Csssar | saw | him | stab, | 
^ In- 1 gratitude, | *"] more | strong than | traitor's ] arms, | 
Quite | vanquished him : | ^\ | then | burst his | mighty 

heart; | Tl I 
And in his | mantle | ^ | muffling up his | face, | ^^j | 
Even at the | base of | Pompey's | statue, | 
^ j *] (Which | all the | while | ran | blood,) | ^ j 

great | Caesar | fell. | H | Tl | 
Oh ! what a | fall | ^| was | there, | ^| my | countrymen ! | 

in nil 

Then | I, | 1 and | you, | *] and | all of us, | fell | down, | 
Whilst ^\ | bloody | treason | flourished | over us. | ^ | 

11 1 

Oh! | now you | weep; | Tl | ""] and I per- | ceive | *"] you 

| feel | 
*"] The | dint of | pity ; | H | these | ~| are | gracious j 

drop,. | Tl I 11 I 
Kind | souls; | T | what, | weep you | T | when you 

but be- | hold | 
~] Our | Caesar's | vesture | wounded? | "Tl | ^ | Look 

you | here! |T I 11 I 
Here is him- | self, | *£] | marr'd, | ^ as you | see, | *] by 

| traitors. | Tl I Tl I 

750. 

Good | friends, | sweet | friends, | T | let me not j 
stir you J up | 
*| To | such a | sudden | flood of | mutiny. | Tl j 



IN READING. ■ 135 

**]**] | They that have | done this | deed, | ^ are | honor- 
able : | 

^ | What | private | griefs | ~| they | have, | ~] a- | las ! 
| ^ I | know not, | 

^| That | made them | do it : | ^j^ | they are | wise, | 
**) and | honorable, | 

^ And | will, "*] | no | doubt, | ""] with | reason | answer 
you. | -,-] | -n | 



751. 
**j I | come not, | friends, | ' ] to | steal away | ^ your | 

hearts; | ^j^ | 
I am | no | orator, j ^j as | Brutus is ; | 
^^ | But as you ] know me | all, | ^ a j plain | blunt | 

man, | 
~j That J love my | friend ; | ^j | ~j and | that | they | 

know | full | well | 
^ That | gave me | public | leave | *"] to | speak of him. 

i ii I n i 

752. 

For I have | neither | wit, | ~j nor | words, [ **] nor | 

worth, | ~n | 
Action, | ^1 nor | utterance, | ^ nor the | power of | speech, | 
r] To | stir | men's | blood. | ^f] | *j I only | speak | 

right | on : |. ^ | 
^ I | tell you | that | ^ which | you yourselves j *| do J 

know; | 
^^j | Show you | sweet | Caesar's | wounds, | ^^j | poor, | 

| poor | dumb | mouths, j 
~j And | bid | them | speak | for me. | ^ | *£j | But 

were | I | Brutus, | • 
^ And" | Brutus | Antony, | ^'\*\ | there were an | Antony | 
w | Would ] ruffle | up your j spirits, j ^ | *"] and | put a 

! tongue I 



136 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

*"] In | every | wound of | Caesar, | ^j that should | move [ 
""] The | stones of | Rome | ^ to j rise in j mutiny. | 

i ii ini 

The preceding examples, including both poetry and prose, it is 
thought, will be sufficient to explain the principle embraced in this 
lesson, entitled the Measure of Speech. The pupil should endeavor 
in all his reading exercises, to form the sentences, whether of poetry 
or prose, into measures, for the purpose of reading with facility and 
without fatigue. The pauses or rests which occur in the imperfect 
measures, will afford him an opportunity of taking breath at such in- 
tervals, that, in the words of Dr. Barber, " reading will cease to be 
laborious, and the sense will be rendered clear, as far as it is depend- 
ent on the capital point of the distribution of time, or measure." The 
principle explained in this lesson, when well understood, and judi- 
ciously applied, will make the pupil acquainted with the nature of all 
the different kinds of versification; for he will perceive that all the 
varieties of poetry (or verse) are dependent upon the regular succes- 
sion of the various measures of speech." * 



LESSON XXXVI. 

MANNER OF READING POETRY. 



The division of poetry into verses, addressing themselves to the 
eye, is often the cause of what is called a " sing song " utterance, which 
it should be the study of every good reader to avoid. [6'ee note on 
page 122.] 

In the last lesson, the attention of the pupil was drawn to the meas- 
ure of speech — a subject, which, although it is very important in 
prose, is doubly so in the reading of poetry or verse, as it determines 
a question which has long been debated by teachers of the art oi read- 
ing, viz. whether a pause siiould be made at the end of every line. 

It is maintained by a very respectable writer, that in reading ''blank 
versej " we ought to make every line sensible to the ear ; for what " 
(it is asked by the writer) " is the use of the melody, or for what end 
has the poet composed in verse, if, in reading his lines, we suppress his 

* A greater variety of exercises for reading, divided into measures, may be 
found in Dr. Barber's Grammar of Elocution. 

They, who have any curiosity to know the manner in which Garrick pro- 
nounced Hamlet's Soliloquy on Death, are referred to Steele's Prosodia 
Rationalis, (edition of 1 779, p. 40, et seq.,) where it is divided into measures, 
and accented. Dr. Barber's method of dividing speech- is identical with Mr. 
Steele's. 



IN READING. 137 

numbers, by omitting the final pause, and degrade them, by our pro- 
nunciation, into mere prose?" 

The remarks made in the previous lesson are a sufficient reply to 
this question. It is there stated that all sentences that are, or can be, 
read or pronounced, are divisible into measures; and that the only 
difference there is in sound between prose and verse is, that verse con- 
sists of a regular succession of similar measures, while in prose the 
different kinds of measure occur promiscuously, without any regular 
succession. Now, if this be the case, as it undoubtedly is, there will 
be no necessity of a pause at the end of the line, to render the melody 
sensible to the ear. Indeed, it will be impossible for the reader, who 
pays proper attention to the measures into which all poetical lines are 
divided, to conceal the melody which the lines possess. The art of 
the poet, so far as the harmony is concerned, consists in such an ar- 
rangement of his measures, as to leave little for the reader to do, in 
order to convey the melody to the hearer; and those lines which re- 
quire c /rumoring,' in order that the music of the versification may be 
distinguished, have little title to the name of verse. 

The only direction, therefore, which it is necessary to give the 
pupil in reading verse is, to endeavor to forget, or rather to disregard, 
the division of the sentences into lines, and to read with the same in- 
flections, accent, tone, emphasis, and expression, that he w T ould use 
in reading prose. 

In addition to the remarks which were made in the last lesson in 
relation to the pauses caused by imperfect measures of speech, it re- 
mains to be observed that there is generally a pause, which belongs 
exclusively to poetry, called the C^isura,* or the Caesural pause. 
This pause must always be properly regarded ; and in studying a 
reading lesson in verse, the pupil must be careful to ascertain where 
this pause belongs. It is generally made a,ter the fourth, fifth, or 
sixth syllable in the line ; but it is sometimes found after the third or 
the seventh, and occasionally even after the second or the eighth. 

In the following lines, the place where the cspsura, or the caesural 
pause, is to be made, is indicated by a figure, and the parallel lines || ; 
and in reading them, the pupil w T ill remember to make a slight pause 
when he comes to the figure. 

753. ' 

The ccesura after the kill syllable. 
The Savior comes, 4 || by ancient bards foretold. 

754. 

The ccEsura after the 5th syllable. 

From storms a shelter, 5 || and from heat a shade. 

* The word ccesura means a cut, cr division. An attentive observer will 
not fail to notice that the beauty and grace of English versification depends 
much upon the situation of the caesura. The poet has it in his power, by 
diversifying its position, to give his numbers a grateful variety, which they 
would not otherwise possess. They, who would see this subject more fully 
discussed, will find some valuable remarks in the work of Dr. Carey, entitled 
"Practical English Prosody," London ed. 1816, p. 59. 

12* 



138 . INTRODUCTORY LESSONS* 

755. 

Tlie ccesura after the 6th syllable. 

Exalt thy lofty head, 6 || and lift thine eyes. 

756. 

The c&sura after the 3d syllable. 

Exploring, 3 || till they find their native deep. 

757. 

The ccesura after the 7th syllable. 

Within that mystic circle 7 || safety seek. 

758. 

The ccesura after the 2d syllable. 

Happy, 2 || without the privilege of will. 

759. 

The ccesura after the 8th syllable. 

In different individuals 8 || we find. 

In some lines, besides the caesura, there is also what is 
called the demi-ccesura, or half caesura, at which the pause is 
very slight, as in the following lines, in which the demi-cae- 
sura is marked with a single accent, and the csesura with a 
double accent. 

760. 

Warms ' in the sun, " refreshes ' in the breeze, 
Glows ' in the stars, " and blossoms ' in the trees ; 
Lives ' through all life " ; extends ' through all extent, 
Spreads' undivided/ 7 operates 7 unspent. 

The pupil will recollect that no pause must be made, and es- 
pecially that the falling infection of the voice must not be used 
at the end of the line, unless the sense requires it. In the 
following extract, the pause, with the falling inflection, occurs 
in that part of the line indicated by the grave accent. The 
extract is from the description of the deluge in Paradise Lost. 

761. 

Meanwhile the south wind rose, and with black wings, 
Wide hovering, all the clouds together drove 



IN READING. 139 

From under heaven : the hills, to their supply, 
Vapor and exhalation dusk and moist 
Sent up amain : and now the thickened sky 
Like a dark ceiling stood ; down rushed the rain 
Impetuous, and continued, till the earth 
No more was seen ; the floating vessel swam 
Uplifted, and secure with beaked * prow 
Rode tilting o'er the waves. 

.4 Simile, or Comparison, in poetry, should be slurred; f 
that is, it should be read in a lower tone of voice, with less 
force, and more rapidly. 

In the following lines the simile is contained in Italic 
letters. 

762. 
Tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy Sleep! 
He, like the world, his ready visits pays 
Where fortune smiles; the wTetched he forsakes; 
Swift on his downy pinions, flies from grief, 
And lights on lids unsullied with a tear. 

763. 
Dear is that shed to which his soul conforms; 
And dear that hill which lifts him from the storms ; 
And, as a child, whom scaring sounds molest, 
Clings close and closer to his mother's breast, 
So the loud torrent, and the whirlwind's roar, 
But bind him to his native mountains more. 

764. 
The skies, like a banner in sunset unrolled, 
O'er the west threw their splendor of azure and gold; 
But one cloud at a distance rose dense, and increased 
Till its margin of black touched the zenith and east, 

Like a spirit, it came in the van of a storm 1 
And the eye, and the heart, hailed its beautiful form, 
For it looked not severe, like an angel of wrath, 
But its garment of brightness illumed its dark path. 

* This word, by poetic license, must be pronounced as a dissylable, leak-ed 
t Sf :. page 113, of this vcUiiiiie, for an explanation of the slur. 

Sre Chr- >o- e 182. 



140 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

765. 

So live, that when thy summons comes to join 
The innumerable caravan, that moves 
To the pale realms of slfade, where each shall take 
His chamber in the silent halls of death, 
Thou go not, like the quarry slave at night, 
Scourged to his dungeon ; but sustained and soothed 
By an unfaltering trust, approach thy grave, 
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch 
About him, and lies down to pleasant dreams. 

The word verse properly means a, turning, and for this reason each 
line in poetry is a verse. The divisions of a poem, whether they con- 
sist of four, six, or any other number of verses or lines, are called 
stanzas. The pupil must be careful not to pause at the end of a 
stanza, unless the sense is completed. The following are instances in 
which, as the sense is not completed, the voice must not be suspended 
at the end of the stanza. 

766. 

In what rich harmony, what polished lays, 
Should man address thy throne, when Nature pays 
Her wild, her tuneful tribute to the sky! 
Yes, Lord, she sings thee, but she knows not why. 
The fountain's gush, the long-resounding shore, 
The zephyr's whisper, and the tempest's roar, 
The rustling leaf, in autumn's fading woods, 
The wintry storm, the rush of vernal Hoods, 
The summer bower, by cooling breezes fanned, 
The torrent's fall, by dancing rainbows spanned 
The streamlet, gurgling through its rocky glen, 
The long grass, sighing o'er the graves of men, 
The bird that crests yon dew-bespangled tree, 
Shakes his bright plumes, and trills his descant free, 
The scorching bolt, that, from thine armory hurled. 
Burns its red path, and cleaves a shrinking world; 
All these are music to Religion's ear : — 
Music, thy hand awakes, for man to hear. 

787. 
Oh, what is human glory, human pride? 
What are man's triumphs when they brightest seeml 



IN READING. 141 

What art thou, mighty one ! though deified ? 
Methuselah's long pilgrimage, a dream; 
Our age is but a shade, our life a tale, 
A vacant fancy, or a passing gale 

Or nothing ! 'Tis a heavy, hollow ball, 

Suspended on a slender, subtile hair, 

And filled with storm winds, thunders, passions, all 

Struggling within in furious tumult there. 

Strange mystery ! man's gentlest breath can shake it, 

And the light zephyrs are enough to break it. 

76S. 
Beneath the aged oak he sleeps ; — 

The angel of his childhood there 
No watch around his tomb-stone keeps ; 

But, when the evening stars appear, 

The woodman, to his cottage bound, 
Close to that grave is wont to tread : 

But his rude footsteps echoed round, 
Break not the silence of the dead. 

769. 
The applause of listening senates to command, 

The threats of pain and ruin to despise, 
To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land, 

And read their history in a nation's eyes, — 

Their lot forb3.de : nor circumscribed alone 
Their growing virtues, but their crimes confined; — 

Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne, 
4nd shut the gates of mercy on mankind ! 






LESSON XXXVII. 

MONOTONE. 

In the previous parts of this book, the pupil has been made ac- 
quainted with those modifications of the voice called the rising in- 
flection, the falling inflection, and the circumflex.* There is another 

* See Lessons I, 2, and 22. 



142 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

modulation of the voice, which, from its intimate connection with the 
reading of poetry of a solemn kind, has been reserved for explanation 
in this place. It is called the Monotone, and consists of a degree of 
sameness of sound^ or tone, in a number of successive words or syl- 
lables. 

It is very seldom the case that there is a perfect sameness to be ob- 
served in reading any sentence or part of a sentence. But very 
little variety of tone, or, in other words, a degree of the monotone, is 
to be used in reading either prose or verse, which contains elevated 
descriptions, or emotions of solemnity, sublimit}^, or reverence. This 
monotone should generally be a low tone of the voice. Thus, in ad- 
dressing the Deity, in the following lines, a degree of the monotone 
is to be used. 

770. 

O Thou Eternal One ! whose presence bright 
All space doth occupy, all motion guide ; 
Unchanged through time's all devastating flight; 
Thou only God ! There is no God beside ! 
Being above all beings 1 Mighty One ! 
Whom none can comprehend and none explore ; 
Who fill'st existence with Thyself alone : 
Embracing all, — supporting, — ruling o'er — 
Being whom we call God — and know no more. 



The monotone is also to be used in the following extracts : 

771. 

High on a throne of royal state, which far 
Outshone the wealth of Ormus or of Ind ; 
Or where the gorgeous East, with richest hand, 
Showers, on her kings barbaric, pearl and gold, 
Satan exalted sat. 

772. 

The sky is changed ! and such a change ! O Night, 
And Storm, and Darkness, ye are wondrous strong, 
Yet lovely in your strength, as is the light 
Of a dark eye in woman ! Far along, 
From peak to peak, the rattling crags among, 
Leaps the live thunder ! — not from one lone cloud, 
But every mountain now hath found a tongue ; 
And Jura answers, through her misty shroud, 
Back to the joyous Alps, who call to her aloud ! 



IN READING. 143 

773. 

And this is in the night: — most glorious night! 

Thou wert not made for slumber ! let me be 

A sharer in thy fierce and fair delight, — 

A portion of the tempest and of thee ! 

How the lit lake shines, — a phosphoric sea — 

And the big rain comes dancing to the earth ! 

And now, again, 'tis black — and now, the glee 

Of the loud hills shakes with its mountain mirth, 

As if they did rejoice o'er a young earthquake's birth. 

774. 

Sky, mountains, river, winds, lake, lightnings ! ye, 

With night, and clouds, and thunder, and a soul 

To make these felt and feeling, well may be 

Things that have made me watchful : the far roll 

Of your departing voices is the knoll 

Of what in me is sleepless, — if I rest. 

But where, of ye, O tempests ! is the goal ? 

Are ye like those within the human breast? 

Or do ye find, at length, like eagles, some high nest? 

775. 
And in the bright blaze of thy festal hall, 
When vassals kneel, and kindred smile around thee, 
May ruin'd Bertram's Pledge hiss in thine ear — 
Joy to the proud dame of Saint Aldobrand, * 
Whilst his corse doth bleach beneath her towers ? 

776. 

O crested Lochiel, the peerless in might, 

Whose banners arise on the battlement's height, 

Heaven's fire is around thee, to blast and to burn ! 

Return to thy dwelling ! all lonely return ! 

For the blackness of ashes shall mark where it stood, 

And a wild mother's scream o'er her famishing brood. 

777. 
Oh, when he comes, 
Rous'd by the cry of wickedness extreme, 
To heaven ascending from some guilty land, 
Now ripe for vengeance ; when he comes, array'd 



144 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

In all the terrors of Almighty wrath, — 
Forth from his bosom plucks his lingering- arm, 
And on the miscreants pours destruction down, — 
Who can abide his coming ? Who can bear 
His whole displeasure ? 

778. 

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep 

falleth on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made 

all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face ; 

the hair of my flesh stood up : it stood still, but I could not 

discern the form thereof : an image was before mine eyes, there 

was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be 

more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker? 

The monotone may with good effect he introduced in many of the sen- 
tences contained in the previous pages of this book, especially in Numbers 615 
and 617, page 101. As it is the design of the author, in these pages, to furnish 
lessons * rather than exercises, in reading, the extracts already introduced 
will be sufficient to impress the principle contained in this lesson. 



LESSON XXXVIII. 

ANALYSIS. 

The word Analysis! means the separation of the parts of which a thing 
is composed. 

Every sentence, whether it be a long or a short one, contains one prominent 
idea, which, by a proper management of the voice, must be brought out into 
clear and distinct notice. It sometimes happens, especially in very long sen- 
tences, that the prominent idea is interrupted or obscured by parentheses, 
descriptions, explanatory remarks, or other expressions, which render it diffi- 
cult for the reader to distinguish the most important part, and give it that 
prominence which it deserves. Herein lies the greatest difficulty in the art 
of reading. No rule can be given to aid the pupil in the discovery of the prom- 
inent ideas in his reading lessons. He must here be left to study and reflec- 
tion. The information, however, that there we such, prominent ideas in com- 
plex sentences, will lead him to endeavor to discover them ; and the practice 
which he has had in the use of emphasis, slur, expression, and other princi- 
ples contained in the preceding lessons, will enable him to apply himself to the 
study of such sentences, with the hope of distinguishing the parts which should 
be brought into strong light, from those which require to be thrown into the 
shade. To aid him in the study, a few examples are here introduced. 

779. 
The rivulet sends forth glad sounds, and tripping o'er its 
bed of pebbly sands, or leaping down the rocks, seems with 
continuous laughter to rejoice in its own being. 

* See preface, p. 5. t See Parker's Exercises in English Composition, p. 23. 



IN READING. 145 

In this sentence, one principal idea is expressed, namely, that the 
rivulet sends forth glad sounds, and seems to rejoice in its own being. 
This idea must therefore be brought out prominently ; while the ex- 
pressions tripping o'er its bed of pehbfy sards, and leaping d. icn the, 
rocks, are merely descriptions of the appearance of tiie river, and need 
not be so emphatically marked. The same remark must be made 
with regard to the expression with continuous laughter, which is only 
an explanation of the manner in which it rejoices. These expressions 
may be slightly slurred.* 

In reading the sentence, therefore, he will express it as follows, pro- 
nouncing tiie parts in Italic letters with less emphatic force than the 
prominent idea. 

780. 
The rivulet sends forth glad sounds, and tripping o'er its 
bed of pebbly sands, or hoping *down the rocks, seems with 
continuous laughter to rejoice in its own being, f 

In the following sentences, all the parts, except the prominent ideas, 
are printed in Italic letters. The pupil will read them as directed 
above. 

In order that the pupil may clearly distinguish the prominent parts, 
he may first read them w T ith the omission of the parts in Italic letters, 
and afterwards read the whole of each sentence as it stands 

781. 
There was a delicious sensation of mingled security and 
awe, with which I looked down from my giddy height on the 
monsters of the deep at their uncouth gambols. Shoals of 
porpoises tumbling about the bows of the ship ; the grampus 
slowly heaving his huge form above the surface; or the raven- 
ous shark, darting like a specter through the blue waters. 

782. 

The devout heart, penetrated I with large and affecting views 
of the immensity of the icorks of God, the harmony of his 
laws, and the extent of his beneficence, bursts into loud and 
vocal expressions of praise and adoration; and from a full 
and, overflowing sensibility , seeks to expand itself to the ut- 
most limits of creation. 

, In the following sentence, the pupil may read, first, that only which 
is in capital letters; then all but the Italic; and, thirdly, the whole 

* See Lesson 34. 

f This sentence occurs on the 1 loth page, where it is differently marked. It 
is here used for illustration only. Some readers may prefer one method, and 
some another ; for there are probably few who would read any passage in 
exactly the same manner. 

13 



,46 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



sentence. He will thus distinguish the various parts of a complex 
sentence. 

783. 
CAN HE, who, not satisfied with the wide range of ani- 
mated existence, calls for the sympathy of the inanimate crea- 
tion, REFUSE TO WORSHIP with his fellow-men? 

It may here be remarked, that the most prominent part sometimes 
consists of a single word, or perhaps of several words, which cannot 
be separated from the connection in which they stand, as in the fol- 
lowing example : — 

784. 
Oh, days of ancient GRANDEUR ! are ye GONE? For- 
ever GONE? Do these same scenes behold his OFF- 
SPRING here the HIRELING of a FOE? Oh that I 
KNEW my FATE ! that I could READ the destiny that 
Heaven has marked for me ! 

785. 
WHENCE, and WHAT art thou, EXECRABLE shape ! 
That dar'st, though grim and terrible, advance 
Thy miscreated front athwart my way 
To yonder gates? THROUGH THEM I mean to PASS ; 
That be assured, without leave asked of thee : 
RETIRE, or taste thy FOLLY ; and learn by PROOF, 
Hell-born ! not to contend with spirits of HEAVEN ! 

786. 
What means this SHOUTING? I do fear, the people 
Choose Caesar for their KING. 
Ay, do you FEAR it? 

Then must I think you WOULD NOT HAVE it so. 
I would NOT, Cassius; yet I LOVE him well. 

787. 
And thus, in silent waiting, stood 
The piles of stone, and piles of wood ; 
Till DEATH — who, in his vast affairs, 
Ne'er puts things off, as men in theirs ; . 
And thus, if I the truth must tell, 
Does his work finally and well — 
WINKED at our hero as he past, 
" Your house is finished, sir, at last; 



IS READING. 147 

A narrower house — a house of clay — 
Your palace for another day ! ; ' 

In the anatysis of a sentence, with the view to read it correctly, 
there are generally three things to be considered by the pupil ; name- 
ly : First, What are the most prominent parts, or those which require 
emphasis — Secondly, What parts are merely explanatory, and conse- 
quently are to be slurred or thrown into shade — Thirdty, What parts, 
separated by explanatory, descriptive, or other circumstances, are inti- 
mately connected ivith each other, and must have their intimate connec- 
tion expressed by strong emphasis, or by slurring the parts which sep- 
arate them. 

The pupil may analyze the following sentences ; that is to say, he 
may mark and read those parts or words only which are most prom- 
inent, and require strong emphasis. He may then mention what parts 
are merely explanatory, &c. And then he may point out those parts 
which, though distant from the eye, are closely connected in sense. 
Lastly, he may read each sentence as it stands, endeavoring to manage 
the emphasis, slur, and expression, in the manner in which he has 
heretofore been directed* 

788. 
How reverend is the face of this tall pile, 
Whose ancient pillars rear their marble heads, 
To bear aloft its arch'd f and ponderous roof, 
By its own weight made steadfast and immovable, 
Looking tranquillity ! It strikes an awe 
And terror on my aching sight : the tombs 
And monumental caves of death look cold, 
And shoot a chillness to my trembling heart, 

789. 

Winter ! ruler of the inverted year ! 

Thy scattered hair with sleet, like ashes, filled, 
Thy breath congealed upon thy lips, thy cheeks 
Fringed with a beard made white with other snows 
Than those of age, thy forehead wrapt in clouds, 
A leafless branch thy scepter, and thy throne 
A sliding car, indebted to no wheels, 
But urged by storms along its slippery way, 

1 love thee, all unlovely as thou seem'st,t 
And dreaded as thou art. 

* It is recommended that the pupil be required to write a few of these sen- 
tences in the manner directed above, underscoring with a single line such parts 
as are to be in Italic letters, with a double line such as should be in small capi- 
tals, and with three lines such as should be in large capitals. 

t The pupil will often notice in poetry such abbreviations as these, where 
the apostrophe shows that some letter is left out. [See Lesson 20, page 63.] 



148 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

790. 

Slaves cannot breathe in England ; if their lungs 
Receive our air, that moment they are free : 
They touch our country, and their shackles fall. 
That's noble, and bespeaks a nation proud 
And jealous of the blessing. Spread it then, 
And let it circulate through every vein 
Of all your empire; that where Britain's power 
Is felt, mankind may feel her mercy too. 

791. 

Trifles, light as air, 
Are, to the jealous, confirmations strong 
As proofs of holy writ. 

Dangerous conceits are, in their natures, poisons 
Which, at the first, are scarce found to distaste, 
But, with a little act upon the blood, 
Burn like the mines of sulphur. 

792. 
I come no more to make you laugh; things now, 
That bear a weighty and a serious brow, 
Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe, 
Such noble scenes, as draw the eye to flow, 
We now present. Those, that can pity, here 
May, if they think it well, let fall a tear ; 
The subject will deserve it. 

793. 

Thou hast it now, King, Cawdor, Gl amis, all, 
As the weird women promised ; and I fear, 
Thou play'dst most foully for it: yet it was said, 
It should not stand in thy posterity ; 
But that myself should be the root and father 
Of many kings. If there come truth from them, 
(As upon thee, Macbeth, their speeches shine,) 
Why, by the verities made good, 
May they not be my oracles as well, 
And set me up in hope 1 

Thus arch'd for arched, shppry for slippery, seem' st for seemest. These abbre- 
viations are generally made for the purpose of shortening the word, and thereby 
preserving- the measure of the verse. Eut they are very seldom allowed in prose 
See Clar/S s New English Grammar, page 204. 



l>: READING; 149 

794. 

Lochiel, Lochiel, beware of the day, 

For dark and despairing, my sight I may seal, 

But man cannot cover what God would reveal. 

'Tis the sunset of life gives me mystical lore, 

And coming events cast their shadows before. 

I tell thee, Culloden's* dread echoes shall ring 

With the blood-hounds that bark for thy fugitive king. 

795. 
Lo ! anointed by Heaven with the vials of wrath, 
Behold, where he flies on his desolate path ! 
Now in darkness and billows he sweeps from my sight: 
Rise ! rise ! ye wild tempests, and cover his flight ! 
'Tis finished. Their thunders are hushed on the moors, 
Culloden is lost, and mv country deplores. 

796. 

Impose upon me whatever hardships you please ; give me 
nothing but the bread of sorrow to eat ; take from me the 
friends in whom I had placed my confidence; lay me in the 
cold hut of poverty, and on the thorny bed of disease ; set 
death before me in all its terrors; do all this, — only let me 
trust in my Savior, and I wril fear no evil, — 1 will rise supe- 
rior to affliction, — I will rejoice in my tribulation. 

797. 
The Highlands of Scotland are a picturesque, but in gen- 
eral a melancholy, country. Long tracts of mountainous 
desert covered with dark heath, and often obscured by misty 
weather; narrow valleys, thinly inhabited, and bounded by 
precipices resounding with the fall of torrents ; a soil so 
rugtred, and a clime so dreary, as in many parts to admit 
neither the amusements of pasturage, nor the labors of agri- 
culture; the mournful dashing of waves along the friths and 
lakes that intersect the country; the portentous noises which 
every change of the wind, and every increase and diminution 
of the waters, is apt to raise in a lonely region, full of echoes, 
and rocks, and caverns; the grotesque and ghastly appear- 
ance of such a landscape by the light of the moon ; objects 
like these diffuse a gloom over the fancy, which may be 

* Pronounced Cullod'en's. 

13* 



150 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

compatible enough with occasional and social merriment, 
but cannot fail to tincture the thoughts even of an ordinary 
native in the hour of silence and solitude. 

798.* 

To be — or not to be — that is the question — 

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind, to suffer 

The stings and arrows of outrageous fortune ; 

Or to take arras against assail t of troubles, 

And, by opposing, end them? — To die, — to sleep,— 

No more ; and, by a sleep, to say we end 

The heartache, and the thousand natural shocks 

That flesh is heir to, — 'tis a consummation 

Devoutly to be wished. 

799. 

To die ; — to sleep ; — 
To sleep ! perchance to dream ; — ay, there's the rub ; 
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, 
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, 
Must give us pause : There's the respect, 
That makes calamity of so long life : 
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, 
The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely, 
The pangs of despised | love, the law's delay, 
The insolence of office, and the spurns 
That patient merit of the unworthy takes, 
When he himself might his quietus make 
With a bare bodkin? Who would fardels bear, 
To grunt and sweat under a weary life ; 
But that the dread of something after death, — 
The undiscovered country, from whose bourn 
No traveler returns, — puzzles the will; 
And makes us rather bear those ills we have, 
Than fly to others that we know not of? 

* In reading 1 this extract, the pupil mast recall to mind the remarks made on 
the 69th page, relating to accent. 

f In most of the editions of Shakspeare we read, " to take arms ag-ainst a 
sea of troubles ; J? but this expression is a manifest violation of all rhetorical 
rule. [See Progressive Exercises in English Composition, Lesson 25, p. 49.] 
The improved reading in this passage is taken from Steele's " Prosodia Ra 
tionalis,' 7 a work already referred to in a preceding note. 

iSee note to No. 761. 



IN READTXO. 151 

800. 

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all, 
And thus the native hue of resolution 
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought ; 
And enterprises of great pith and moment, 
With this regard, their currents turn awry, 
And lose the name of action. 



LESSON XXXIX. 

BLENDING OF WORDS PRODUCED BY AC- 
CENTED FORCE. 

Under the head of accented force, Mr. Walker, in his 
Rhetorical Grammar, has noticed the peculiar manner in 
which words, or parts of different words, are sometimes 
blended, so as to appear in pronunciation like a single word. 
Thus the sentence, " Censure is the tax a man pays to the 
public for being eminent," when it is read with a proper 
regard to the measure of speech, accent, emphasis, &c, will 
appear as if it were written thus : — 

SOI. 

Censure isthetax amanpays tothepublic 

forbeingeminent. 

It will be needless to insert any extracts for the exercise 
of the pupil in this principle. The teacher will select from 
any part of the book such sentences for him to read as will 
enable him readily to perceive the difference between ac- 
cented icords and accented syllables. 

It may here be remarked, that most kinds of reading are included in 
the three terms Narrative, Descriptive, and Expressive ; each 
of which is respectively characterized by its appropriate degree of ac- 
cented force ; and it is proper that the pupil, in studying a readincr 
lesson, should endeavor to discern under which head his lesson is in- 
cluded, in order to adapt his style of reading to the character of the 



i62 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 



piece. On this subject much has been said in the previous lessons of this 
book. It remains for the pupil, who has gone through these lessons in 
course, to endeavor to apply the instructions given him, in all the various 
kinds of reading in which he may ht exercised. If he has a correct ear, 
he will not fail to observe that both* the rising and falling inflections of the 
voice admit of different degrees. These are technically described in Dr. 
Barber's Grammar of Elocution, and more fully developed in the respec- 
tive works of Dr. Rush and Mr. Steele, to which reference has already 
been made. The subject is also particularly noticed in YValker's Rhetor- 
ical Grammar. In these exercises, it is deemed inexpedient to present any 
intricate views of the subject ; but, after the statement of a principle, to 
leave the puoil to the guidance of Nature. [See preface and UUe-page.] 



LESSON XL, 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE VOICE. 



The voice, like all the other faculties of the body or the mind, is 
susceptible of great improvement; and under proper management, 
one that is naturally feeble may be rendered more effective than an- 
other, which is endowed with great strength. The tw r o most important 
requisites in a good voice are clearness arid strength, in the 
twenty-fifth lesson of this book, some exercises are presented with thg 
design to accustom the pupil to distinct articulation. If he has passed 
over that lesson with little attention, he is advised to return to it ; 
and, by persevering practice, acquire a facility in the pronunciation of 
those sounds which are represented by the combination of the con- 
sonants alone. In connection with this exercise, he is advised to 
practise the vowel sounds, in the manner which shall presently be 
pointed out. 



The Sounds of the Vowels are as folloios :• 



as heard in "the word 



fate 


o 


far 





fall 


o 


fat 


u 


me 


u 


met 


u 


pine 


oi 


pin 


OU 


no 





as heard in the word m^ve 

u a a u a v\oz 

u u u a u not 

« " " " " tube 

U u u a a t^j]-, 

a a a cc « bull 

" " " « a voice 

" « " " " sound 



IX READING. 



153 



TJie Sounds of the Consonants a~e as follows : — 



b 


as in 


bible 


rob 


t 


as in 


tool 


not 


d 


M 


u 


dare 


bed 


V 


a tt 


vine 


have 


f 


M 


II 


fate • 


brief 


w 


tt a 


wine 




f 


tt 


a 


gone 


brag 


X 


tt a 


example 




h 


a 


ti 


hand 




y 


II u 


yes 




t 


U 


a 


jade 




z 


U II 


zone 


adze 


II 


u 


kind 


sick 


ch 


II M 


chair 


church 


1 


u 


tt 


land 


ball 


ng 


II II 


long 




m 


n 


ii 


mine 


him 


sh 


m a 


shine 


hush 


n 


a 


IC 


now- 


pin 


th 


it a 


thou 




P 


a 


u 


put 


up 


th 


asjrirate 


thin 




q 


tc 


CI 


quince 




wh 


u a 


when 




r 


If 


li 


ring- 


bar 


zh 


II II 


azure 




s 


<t 


Ci 


since 


kiss 











These sounds of the vowels and consonants should be uttered in 
various ways. 

1st. Let the pupil practise what is called exploding* them ; that is, 
let him pronounce each of them in a quick, sudden manner, like the 
report of a pistol. 

2d. Let him prolong the same sounds, w r ith care, to preserve their 
purity. 

3d. Let him practise both the abrupt and the prolonged sounds of 
each, in conjunction with the consonants, and the combination of the 
consonants presented in Lesson 25. 

4th. Let him practise all the above-mentioned sounds, in each of the 



* " This practice,''* says Dr. Barber, " will be found a more effectual method 
than any other of obtaining a strong and powerful voice — of strengthening 



such voices as are feeble, and of giving fulness and strength of tone to all in 
proportion to their natural capacities/'' He adds, immediately after, " The 
student has not obtained that use of his voice which it is the object of this 



table to teach him. until every sound it contains can be uttered with the sud- 
denness of the report of fire-arms, without any apparent effort preceding the 
explosion, with a very high degree of percussive force, and with strength and 
fulness of tone.*' Again, lie says in another place, " We know that persons 
with feeble voices have been rendered capable of speaking forcibly and im- 
pressively in public, by a perseverance in the practice here recommended.'" 
— Gram, of Elocution, p. 30. — Dr. Barber's work cannot be too highly recom- 
mended to all who would pursue this subject scientifically. In this lesson the 
author has departed in some respects from the arrangement of the vowel 
sounds, as presented in the tables of Dr. Barber, and adopted that which is 
contained in the spelling books commonly used. These lessons are designed 
principally as an introduction to the subject, and not as a full treatise. 'J ney 
who have leisure for a more extended view, are referred to Dr. Barber's 
Grammar, and to the very able, scientific, and more voluminous work to 
which reference has been already made — Dr. Rush on " The Philosophy of the 
Human Voice." Mr. Steele's work, entitled " Prosodia Rationalis," is like- 
wise well worthy the attention of those who would acquire a thorough knowl- 
edge of the powers and peculiarities of the human voice. 



154 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS. 

different pitches or keys of the voice, mentioned in Lesson 27, p. 95 ; 
and likewise in a whisper. * 

Among the consonants there are two which require particular atten- 
tion, namely, I and r ; and if there are any letters, the correct and dis- 
tinct articulation of which distinguish a good from a bad pronuncia- 
tion, they are these two. 

It is recommended that the pupil be thoroughly exercised in the 
pronunciation of words which contain these letters, especially the r. 
This letter has two sounds, called the smooth and the vibrant. The 
vibrant r is pronounced by what is frequently called rolling the tongue. 
This sound, when properly made, is one which is highly pleasing to 
the ear ; but when too much prolonged, it becomes harsh and offensive, 
and is suited only for a rough or energetic utterance. Dr. Rush says 
that it " will be agreeable when it consists of one, or at most two or 
three strokes and rebounds of the tongue." 

The smooth r is that sound which is heard in the words bard, card, 
hard. In such words it savors of affectation or provincialism to sub- 
stitute the vibrant r. 



EXERCISE ON THE SOUNDS OF L AND R. 
802. 

The lordly lion leaves his lonely lair. 

803. 
He was long, lean, and lank, and Jaughed loudly, 

804. 
How sweetly slow the liquid lay 
In holy hallelujahs rose! 

805. 

Let lords and ladies laugh and sing 

As loudly and as light; 
We beggars, too, can dance, and fling 

Dull care a distant flight. 

806. 
Ruin seize thee, ruthless king. 



* The importance of clear and distinct utterance will be seen by the follow- 
ing sentences; in which the meaning depends upon it : 

That lasts till night. 

That last still night. 
Who ever imagined such a notion to exist ? 
Who ever imagined such an ocean to exist ? 



IN READING. 1^0 

S07. 

Around the hearth the crackling fagots blaze. 

SOS. 
Approach thou like the rugged Russian bear, 
The armed rhinoceros, the Hyrcan tiger. 

S09. 
The master current of her mind 
Ran permanent and free. 

Round rugged rocks, rude ragged rascals ran. 
Lean liquid lays like lightly lulling lakes. 

Aineer the pupil has sufficiently practised the utterance of the various 
sounds of vowels and consonants, both separately and in combination, 
it is recommended that he daily exercise himself in reading or speak- 
ing with all his powers of loudness and force. This habit will con- 
tribute much to the acquisition of strength of voice. But above all, 
let him remember that distinctness of articulation is oi the utmost im- 
portance in utterance ; and that a weak voice with this quality can 
be heard and understood at a much greater distance than a strong one 
without it. 

Again ; the pupil will find much benefit in the practice of swelling 
and diminishing the power of his voice. For this purpose, let him be- 
gin a long sentence softly, slowly, and in a low tone, and gradually 
swell his voice in pitch, power, and rapidity, till he has attained the 
utmost extent of those qualities of which it is susceptible ; and then 
let it descend and fade away by degrees, till it becomes almost imper- 
ceptible. 

And, lastly, reading with rapidity (simply as an exercise of the voice) 
will contribute much to the ease and power of utterance. But the 
pupil must never allow his words to pass from his mouth indistinctly. 
How rapidly soever he may read, as an exercise, he must be careful 
to give each syllable and each letter its distinct appropriate sound. 

To these directions for the improvement of the voice may be added 
the caution to open the mouth, when speaking, in such a manner as to 
afford an easy passage for the sound. Many persons have contracted 
a habit of reading and speaking with the lips compressed in such a 
manner as entirely to alter the tone of the voide and destroy its dis- 
tinctness of utterance. This caution must be particularly regarded by 
all who aim at excellence in the Art of Reading. 

Dr. Rush has described four different kinds of voice ; namely, the 
Natural, the Falsette, the Whispering, and the Orotund, which 
he thus describes : 

The Natural voice is that which we employ in ordinary speaking. 

The Falsette is that peculiar voice in which the higher degrees 
of pitch are made, after the natural voice breaks, or outruns its power. 
The cry, scream, yell, and all shrillness, are various modes of the 
falsette. 



156 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS IN READING. 

The Whispering voice needs no description ; but it may be ob- 
served that some persons are endowed with such clearness and dis- 
tinctness in this kind of voice, that they can make themselves heard 
at a great distance when speaking in this way. 

By the Orotund vo4ce is meant that natural or improved manner 
of uttering the elements, which exhibits them with a fulness, clearness, 
strength, smoothness, and a ringing or musical quality, rarely heard in 
ordinary speech ; but which is never found in its highest excellence, ex- 
cept through long and careful cultivation. 

In conclusion, it may be stated, that all who aim at excellence as 
Readers and Speakers, should endeavor to attain this last-described 
quality oi" voice.* For their encouragement it may be added, that it 
has frequently been acquired by those whose voices were naturally 
weak and ineffective, and that no one, therefore, should despair of 
the attainment, — for what man has done, man can do. 

* Among the refinements in pronunciation, at which the careful student of 
the art of rhetorical reading should aim, may be particularly memioned the 
legitimate sounds of e and ?', in such words as earth, mercy, mirth, birth, &c, 
which are too commonly pronounced as if they were spelt urth, murcy. murth, 
burth. In the word merit, the e always receives its proper sound. The same 
syllable mer, common both to the words merit <\ni\' mercy, should have the 
same pronunciation in both words 5 and the reader, by carefully noticing this 
fact, wHl find little difficulty in attaining the correct pronunciation of the e, in 
the words to which reference has been made. The proper sound of the i, like- 
wise, in the words above mentioned, approaches nearer to the sound of short e 
than to that of u. 



PART II. 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 



ELOCUTION 



BY J. C. ZACHOS, 



AUTHOR OF NEW AMERICAN SPEAKER. 



CONTENTS. 



Lesson Page 

Introduction 159 

1. Articulation. — Elementary Sounds 165 

2. Of the Letters or Signs of Sounds 166 

3. Eight Vocal Tonics — checked (in the sound) 168 

4. Eight Vocal Tonics — vanishing (in the sound) 170 

5. Diphthongs or Compound Vocals 171 

6. Atonies and Subtonics 172 

7. Seven Labial Sounds 173 

8. Six LLnguo-Dental Sounds •. 174 

9. Eight Linguo-Palatal Sounds 174 

10. Four Guttural Sounds 175 

11. Exercises in Articulation 176 

12. Accent 177 

13. Pronunciation 178 

14. Of Expression 179 

15. Emphasis 180 

16. Inflexion 182 

17. Pitch and Force 184 

18. Quality of Tone ISO 

19. Movement 188 

20. Pause 190 

21. Gesture. — An Analysis of Gesture 190 

22. Dramatic and Descriptive Gesture 193 



INTRODUCTION. 



Science is taught by precept; Art must be taught by 
• example. Elocution is an art, and therefore cannot be learned 
from books. 

. [No book can supersede the living teacher. Here, as in all 
art, Nature must be appealed to at every step; there is no 
other or higher court to which to carry the decision. 

The teacher by example can best stimulate the student to 
open his ear to the voice of Nature. A book such as this is 
only intended to stimulate and assist the consciousness of the 
student in the apprehension of Nature's dictates, and to serve 
the teacher with an efficient means of illustration. 

It is a sign of narrowness and poverty of spirit, that the art 
of speaking is so poorly cultivated- in most of our schools and 
colleges. It is but an imperfect preparation that they can give 
a man to enter society, without giving him the power of delivery 
of thought and feeling. The want of it makes the freeman 
afraid to exercise his rights, the thinker give way to the mere 
talker, the true statesman to the demagogue. 

It makes poor, sniffling interlocutors , instead of bold and manly 
orators. It puts the province of governing in the hands of the 
shameless and the foolish, instead of those of the good and wise. 

Let every youth be taught to speak ; those who have talent 
and virtue will have so much the advantage over the stupid 
and the vicious. 

But health of body as well as of mind depend upon this. 
There is scarcely a muscle or organ in the body, that is not 
brought into free and healthful exercise by an energetic exertion 
in speaking. 

Let any one study his experience in giving a loud and con- 



160 INTRODUCTION. 

tinuous sound, and he will find how complicated and great is 
the effort. 

The knees are stiffened ; the muscles of the back erect the 
person to the utmost ; the abdominal muscles are brought 
strongly into play ; the intercostal muscles expand the chest, 
and the lungs have the freest movement; the circulation is 
quickened, and the whole man is roused to the centre of his 
living organism. 

Can such an exercise be often resorted to without the greatest 
physical benefit ? 

Children would suffer infinitely less from the sedentar} r habits 
and confinement of school, if they were given exercises in a sort 
of vocal gymnastics several times a day, in the course of the other 
school exercises. Many would thus be saved from consumption, 
bronchitis, spinal affections, and the numerous diseases that are 
often traced to confinement at schools and academies. 

There seems a general prejudice against subjecting girls at 
school to vocal exercises, which works much to their injury in 
this respect. 

Calisthenics and vocal gymnastics should be as much a part 
of their training as that of boys ; but in a different spirit, and 
for a different purpose. It is certain they need it as much 
physically, and in another aspect they need it as much morally. 
For though they are not expected to become public orators, it 
is no reason that their souls should be shut up in a husky and 
sputtering speech, or in a trembling and weak voice. Modesty 
and delicacy have nothing to do with such things, and it is folly 
to suppose that the full and energetic development of the woman 
can lead to any thing but to what is noble and beautiful. 

xSote. — The following movements, breathings and exercises of the 
voice suitable for the school-room, by expanding the chest, quickening 
the circulation, and imparting energy and pliancy to the respiratory and 
vocal organs, have considerable use in developing the powers of elocution. 

MOVEMENTS. 

1st. Position erect, with arms a-kimbo. The head elevated, 
the shoulders back and down ; place the hands upon the hips, 
then throw the elbows forcibly backward. 



INTRODUCTION. 161 

2d. Move the hands, after extending them downward by the 
sides, briskly up and down. 

3d. Let the hands and arms be placed in a vertical position ; 
then drawn down and projected upward with force. 

4th. Extend the arms horizbntally forward, and move them 
back and forth quickly and with force. 

5th. Place the arms horizontally forward with the palms of 
the hands together ; then throw them apart forcibly, bringing 
the back of the hands as nearly as possible behind the back. 

6th. A variety of exercises in gestures descriptive or pas- 
sionate, for the purpose of acquiring grace in movement. These 
the good taste and ingenuity of the teacher must suggest. 

BREATHINGS. 

1st. Full breathing. — Place -the arms and hands as required 
, in the first movement ; slowly draw the breath until the chest 
is fully expanded ; emit it with the utmost slowness. 

2d. Audible breathing. — Draw in the breath as in full 
breathing, and expire it audibly in a prolonged sound of the 
letter H. 

3d. Forcible breathing. — Fill the lungs, and then let out the 
breath suddenly and forcibly in the manner of an abrupt and 
whispered cough. 

4th. Sighing. — Fill suddenly the lungs with a full breath, 
and emit it as quickly as possible. 

5th. Gasping. — With a convulsive effort inflate the lungs ; 
then send forth the breath more gently. 

Gth. Panting. — Breathe quickly and violently, making the 
emission of the breath loud and forcible. 

THE VOICE. 

For exercises of the voice, and especially in articulation, the 
table of elementary sounds and the preliminary exercises should 
be used daily and with a most assiduous practice. 



162 INTRODUCTION. 

USE OF THE TABLE. 

1st. In a distinct and moderate utterance of all the sounds. 

2d. In an explosive and forcible manner of making each 
sound. 

3d. In the application of all the elements of Elocution, while 
producing the different sounds ; as, Emphasis, Inflection, Pitch, 
Force, Tone, (especially the orotund,) Movement, &c. 

A chart of these elementary sounds ought to be hung up in 
every school-room, and made the subject of diligent practice 
for some time. 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS IN ELOCUTION. 



LESSOR I. 
AKTICULATIOX. 

ELEMHTARY SOUNDS. 

There are forty- one elementary sounds in the English lan- 
guage, which may be thus arranged according to three princi- 
ples of classification : 

1. According to the organs with which they are chiefly 
formed : Vocal, Labial, Linguo-Dental, Linguo-Palatal, and 
Guttural. 

2. According to the nature of the sound : Tonic, Subtonic, 
and Atonic. 

3.' According to the manner of expressing the sound: 
Checked, Vanishing, Abrupt, Smooth, Liquid, Resonant, As- 
pirate, Ambiguous. 

These are presented in one view in the following table : 

THE ELEMENTARY SOUNDS (41). 



16 VOCAL TOXICS. 



8 Checked. 

1. I as in It. 



2. E 

3. A 

4. A (final) 

5. 

6. U 

7. (final) 

8. U 



Bet. 

At. 

Era. 

Odd. 

Up. 

Hero. 

Put. 



8 Prolonged and Vanishing. 

1. I as in Pique. 



2. 


E 


a 


Ere. 


3. 


A 


a 


Rare. 


4. 


A 


t( 


Far. 


5. 





a 


Or. 


6. 


u 


tt 


Our. 


1. 





a 


Oar. 


8. 


V 


a 


Rule. 



166 



INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 



8 



Aton. 1. P. 1. 
Subton. 2. B. 2. 
Aton. 3. F. 3. 
Subton. 4. V. 5. 

2 Liquid Subton. 

3 Resonant Subton. 5. M. 

2 Aspirate Aton. 6. Wh. 
2 Ambiguous Subt. 7. W. 



Abrupt -j 
8 Smooth -j 



25 ATONICS AND SUBTONICS. 

7 Labials. 6 Linguo- Dental. 8 Linguo-Palatal. 4 Guttural. 



T. 
D. 

Th. 
Th. 



4. S. 
6. Z. 



Ch. 

J. 

Sh. 

Zh. 

L. 6. 

K. 



R. 



K. 



H. 



8. Y. 



MOST COMMON COMPOUND VOCALS. 



Ai as in JU'm. 



le 

Ou 
Ow 



Pie. 

Thou. 

Blow. 



o. 
6. 

.7. 

8. 



Oi as in 

Ui " 
J7i " 



0*7. 

Going. 

Ruin. 

Fluent. 



LESSON II. 

OF THE LETTERS OR SIGNS OF SOUNDS. 

The irregularity and the inadequacy of the signs of sound 
used in the language, present great difficulties in learning to 
read and write it correctly. 

It is an obstacle likewise in acquiring a correct articulation ; 
for in this the proper significance of every letter or sign of 
sound that enters into the word should be distinctly appre- 
hended. But this is not always easy in the present state of 
Orthoepy. 

I proceed, therefore, to such an analysis of the use of the 
present signs of the elementary sounds in the language, as may 
assist in acquiring a correct articulation. 

There are forty -one elementary sounds, and only twenty- six 
letters or signs of sounds ; consequently there is a deficiency of 
fifteen signs, which has to be made up by making the same 
sign represent several different sounds ; and for some sounds 
there is no especial letter, but only some combination of letters. 

Note. — Indeed the greatness of the difficulty that attends this 
subject, can only be appreciated by those who have directed to it a 
special attention. The painful toil and trouble of our childhood is 



IS ELOCUTION. 167 

As I propose to give the student a clear idea of each ele- 
mentary sound, and the different ways of marking it, I shall 
treat of each separately. But I must premise that accurate 
articulation can only be learned from a teacher who is versed 
in the same ; and such remarks as can be made in a book can 
only refer the intelligent pupil to his consciousness, and put 
him upon the way merely of verifying the true sounds. 

forgotten in the facility which long drilling and constant repetition 
have given to our maturer years. Yet the first three or four years 
of instruction are chiefly spent in teaching children the proper 
significance and use of those signs of sound. When we consider 
that all this labor is owing to irregularities that can be swept away 
in one blow by the adoption of one simple law, viz. that of having 
a single sign for each elementary sound, it seems a wonder that 
intelligent beings should submit to such a- monstrous perversion of 
human labor. 

It is a subject I cannot here enter upon ; but the reformation 
proposed in this respect demands the earnest attention and practical 
co-operation of every one interested in the cause of education. 
What shall we make of a system of representative signs, in view of 
any thing rational or convenient, which leaves one a choice of eleven 
thousand six hundred and twenty-eight different ways of spelling 
the same word ! 

To make my assertion good, I will take the word Constantinople, 
There are thirteen simple sounds in it, not counting the final e, which 
is silent. A glance at the following analysis with respect to the 
signs of sounds, will show that the analogy of common usage will 
justify one in representing several of these sounds by more than one 
sign, making in all nineteen different signs for thirteen sounds. 
These nineteen signs, according to the Algebraic Theory of Combi- 
nations, can be used to spell the word in eleven thousand six hun- 
dred and twenty-eight different ways ! And this, not throwing in 
any silent letters, in which words abound, and which might swell the 
present caluclation to over a million ! ! 

As a curiosity, one of these combinations is given — Kancdendo- 
naple — justified by the analogy of the sound of k in kick, a in all, c 
in city, d in stopped, e in there, o in women, a in was. Not only is 
there scarcely a letter in the language that represents one invariable 
sound, but most of them stand for so many different sounds as to 
place upon the present twenty-six letters the labor of representing 
one hundred sounds ! besides, twelve of these are often snent, and 
have no significance in combination. 

Such is this embroglio and sense-confounding system of repre- 
sentative signs ! Nothing but a dry routine, a constant drilling, and 
a stultifying repetition, can ever make a tolerable speller. 



168 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 



LESSON III. 

EIGHT Y C A L TONICS-CHECKED (w^ sound). 
(See the table.) 

These are called vocal, because the sound comes from the 
vocal organs proper, unmodified by the action of the tongue, 
teeth, and palate, as other sounds, but only by the shape which 
the cavity of the mouth assumes when they are sent forth. 
They are called tonics, because they are the proper tones or 
musical sounds in language. They are called checked in the 
sound ; that is, there is a positive effort made b}^ the organs, in 
which the soimd is checked, stopped, or snatched up abruptly 
when it is fully formed. This distinguishes them from another 
class of sounds radically the same as these, but differing in the 
manner in which the sound is completed. These eight sounds 
form a natural ascending and descending scale analogous to the 
musical scale, in which the volume of sound enlarges up to the 
fifth sound, then diminishes again, but not in the same manner. 

The volume of sound is determined by the cavity of the 
mouth, which is most enlarged and approaches most to a circle 
in the fourth sOund ; then contracts to form the sounds before 
and after; but this contraction is different for the sounds on the 
right from those on the left of the fourth sound. Thus, taking 
the circle to represent the fourth sound, then a series of ellipses 
will represent the other sounds ; thus : 



I. 


E. 


A. 


A. 


0. 


V. 


0. v. 


It. 


Met. 


At. 


Era. 


' Odd. 


Up. 


Open. Put, 




These represent severally the cavities of the mouth in forming 
the sounds, # 

It is in representing this class of sounds chiefly that the ir- 
regularities of the present system of signs appear most con- 
spicuous. 

In treating of the sounds, the order of the table is observed. 
All the letters that are ever used to represent each sound are 
given as appropriate signs of the sound. 



IN ELOCUTION. 169 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE VOCAL TONICS CHECKED. 

FIRST SOUND. 

I as in It. Ey as in Lackey. 

Ee " Been. Y " Hymn, Lyric. 

U " Busy. Ei " Foreign. 

" Women. Ui " Guilt. 

E " Pretty. Ie '* Sieve. 

Ea as in Guinea. 

SECOND SOUND. 

E as in Met. Ea as in Dead, Head. 

A " Any, Many. Ai " Said. 

U " Bury. Ay " Sunday, Monday. 

Eo as in Leopard, Jeopardy. 

THIRD SOUND. 

A as in Ask, Acute, Abode. Ai as in Plaid. 

Au as in Laugh. 

FOURTH SOUND. 

A (final or unaccented) as in Boa, Coma, Stigma, Era, Mama. 

N. B. — A feeble manner of giving this sound often confounds it 
with the sixth sound of the Table, or with the first and lightest 
sound of R. 

FIFTH SOUND. 

as in Odd, On, Rob, SoJd. A as in Wad, Was. 

SIXTH SOUND. 

U as in Up, Bud, Cup, Fun. Io as in Cushion, Motion. 
Ou " Rough. " Done, Colonel. 

Eo " Surgeon. Oo " Blood. 

SEVENTH SOUND, 

(final or before an Abrupt Atonic) as in Hero, Bravo, Plato, 
Cocoa, Open, Opal, Cargo, Sago, Also, Ditto, Calico. 

EIGHTH SOUND. 

U as in Put. Oo as in Good, Book. 

" Wolf. Ui " Suit. 

Ou as in Would, Could. 



170 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

LESSON IV. 

EIGHT VOCAL TONICS.— VANISHIN^ (in the sound). 

This class of vocal tonics is radically the same as the checked ; 
they differ merely in having a secondary and more feeble tone 
of the same kind as the first, which may be called the vanishing 
tone. It is a prolongation of the radical tone, but of a more 
evanescent and lighter character, into which the radical tone 
expires. 

It will be observed by this, that the distinction between the 
checked and vanishing sounds, is not that of long and short. 
The checked are always short, and the vanishing are relatively 
longer ; but when either come under the influence of accent and 
expression, this distinction is confounded and almost lost. 

The checked and vanishing tonics have generally the same 
representative signs, and correspond to each other. 

N. B. — In every syllable where there is a vanishing sound, there 
are always two tonic signs, or an R, except in some monosyllables. 

The tonic signs are not always in juxtaposition, as in Theme. 
The first of these represents the radical, and the second the vanish- 
ing sound. The same effect is produced by an R, which lengthens 
the preceding tonic without losing its own specific sound. 

ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE VOCAL TONICS VANISHING. 

FIRST SOUND. 

• E as in Be, Me, He, Theme. I as in Pique, Machine. 

Ee " Eel, Feel, Seen. Ed « Feof. 

Ie " Shield, Field. Ui « Build. 

Ea " Bean, Sea, Eager. Uay " Quay. 

SECOND SOUND. 

E as in Where, There, Ere. Ei as in Heir. 

THIRD SOUND, 

A as in Care, Rare. Ai as in Hair, Air. 

FOURTH SOUND. 

A as in Father, Arm, Balm. Ea as in Heart. 

Ua as in Guard. 



IN ELOCUTION. 171 

FIFTH SOUND. 

A as in All, Ball, Halt. Ou as in Brought, Fought. 

Au " Aught. " For, Nor. 

Aw " Law. Oa u Broad. 

SIXTH SOUND. 

Er as in Err, Herb, Therefore. Yr as in Myrrh. 

Ear " Earth, Hearth. Ur " Curb, Furl. 

Ir " Firm, Gird, Mirth. Or " World. 

Uer as in Conquer. 

N. B. — The presence of the R seems essential to this vanishing 
tonic, but does not lose its own peculiar sound. 

SEVENTH SOUND. 

Ou as in Pour, Four. Oa as in Oar, Hoar. 

Oo " Door. " Core, Sore. 

I have hesitated somewhat about this, and its corresponding 
checked sound in the Table, (see the Table of Elementary- 
Sounds,) as not being distinctly recognized in any analysis of 
the elementary sounds that I have met with. But I have not 
been able to reject them from the analysis that I have made of 
these sounds, and I think they will approve themselves to most 
ears who have attended to the sounds made in correct articula- 
tion. 

There is a tendency in this sound, except, I think, before the 
letter R, to vanish in the eighth sound of the Vocal Tonics, 
making a diphthong, as in Ode, Old, Soul, Beau, Foe, Dough, 
Bow, &c. 

EIGHTH SOUND. 

as in Move, To, Do. Ue as in True, Sue, Due. 

Oo " Ooze, Loose, Xoose. U " Rule, Fuse, Tube. 
Ew " Crew, Drew, iSew. Oe " Shoe. 
Ui " Cruise, Bruise. Ui " Juice. 

leu as in Lieu, Purlieu. 



LESSON V. 

DIPHTHONGS OR COMPOUND VOCALS. 

A diphthong consists of two tonic sounds following in succes- 
sion, and coalescing more or less ; each preserves its separate 
sound. 



172 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

The second sound, however, has generally the character of a 
vanishing sound. 

In the following table of diphthongs, the numbers indicate 
which of the tonics, in the order of the table of elementary 
sounds, make up each diphthong. 

1. — 1 and 2. Ee. Examples: Seest, Freest. 

2. = 1 and 3. Ea, la. Ex. : Reaction, Beatitude, Piazza. 

3. = 1 and 7. Eo. Ex.: Creole, Seraglio. 

4. = 1 and 8. Ew, Ue, Ui, Eau, lew, U. Ex. : Few, View, 
Mute, Dew, Beauty, Clew. The sound of Y as a subtonic is 
here often touched in connecting the first and second sound of 
this diphthong. 

5. = 2 and 1. A, Ai, Ay, Ey, Ei, Ea. Ex. : Ale, Aim, Lay, 
Prey, jSfeigh, Yea, May. 

6. = 4 and 1. I, Ai, Ey, Uy, Ie, Y, Ey. Ex.: I, My, Eye, 
Naivete, Buy, Pie, Guile, Ley. 

7.=4 and 8. Ou, Ow. Ex. : Thou, Loud, Now, Cow, Stout. 

8. = 5 and 1. Oi and Oy. Ex. : Oil, Void, Coy, Joy, Boy. 

9. = 7 and 1. Oi, Owi, Ewi. Ex.: Going, Throwing, Sewing. 

10. = 7 and 2. Oe, Owe. Ex.: Poet, Lowell, Coexist. 

11. = 7 and 8. Ow, Oe, Ou, 0, Eau, Oa, Ew. Ex. : Though, 
Blow, Dough, Foe, Ode, Old, Beau, Sew, So, No, Sow. 

12. = 8 and 1. Oi, Ui, Ooi. Ex. : Doing, Ruin, Cooing. 

13. = 8 and 2. Ue, Ua, Ewa, Ex. : Truant, Fluent, Renewal. 

14. = 8 and 3. Ua, Wa. Ex.: Quack, Thwack. 

15. = 8 and 7. Uo. Ex.: Quote. 



LESSON YI. 

ATOPICS AND SUBTONICS. 

' The chief difficulties of correct and forcible articulation are 
connected w 7 ith the enunciation of this class of sounds. Indeed, 
it has been said, "Take care of your consonants, and the vowels 
will take care of themselves." Too much attention, therefore, 
cannot be paid to the clear apprehension and familiar practice 
of this class of elementary sounds. All the symbols used to 
mark the sound are given. 



1ST. ELOCUTION. 173 



LESSOR VII. 

SEVEN" LABIAL SOUNDS. 

The Labial Sounds are so called, because the sound or breath, 
in passing from the mouth, is chiefly modified by the position 
and action of the lips. In describing them, the same order is 
observed as in the Table. 

1. P. An atonic abrupt sound. Atonic, because it has no 
tone or musical sound ; but is merely a strong exoulsion of the 
breath in a whisper. Abrupt, because in the manner of forming 
it, the breath is suddenly or abruptly forced through the lips. 
Ex. : Pip, Pulp, Pope, Paper, Pop, Palpable, Pauper, Papa. 

P is sometimes silent. Ex. : Psalm, Psalter, Receipt. 

2. B. A subtbnic abrupt sound. Subtonic, because while 
it has an audible sound it does not amount to a tone or a mu- 
sical sound, but to a sort of murmur. Ex. : Babe, Bulb, Barb, 
Blab, Bob, Bib, Bible, Bibber. 

B is sometimes silent. Ex. : Debt, Dumb, Thumb, Subtle. 

3. F, Gh, Ph. An atonic smooth sound. Smooth, because 
the sound or breath is allowed to pass with less resistance and 
in a more gentle manner than in most of the atonic and subtonic 
sounds. Ex. : Fife, Fade, Phosphorescent, Fearful, Phantom, 
Rough, Laugh, Philosopher, Enough, Tough. 

Gh and Ph. are sometimes silent. Ex. : Dough, Through, 
Plough, Phthisic, Phthisis. 

4. V. A smooth subtonic sound. Ex. : Vivid, Vivacious, 
Velvet, Vie, Vain, Voice. 

5. M. A resonant subtonic. Resonant, a peculiar ringing 
sound that is obtained by forcing the sound through the nose. 
Ex. : Man, Mummy, Mimic, Mama, Moon, Moment, Mammoth. 

6. Wh. An aspirate atonic. Aspirated, by the forcible man- 
ner in which the breath is forced through the lips when in the 
attitude of forming the sound. Ex. : When, Wheel, Whether, 
What, Whittle, White. 

7. W. An ambiguous subtonic. Ambiguous, — it approaches 
very near to the nature of a vocal tonic ; but as it is never 
sounded by itself, independent of some tonic sound, it seems 
more proper to class it with the subtonics. Ex. : Woe, Wed, 
Weak, Wood, Well, Wayward, We, Way. 

W is sometimes silent. Ex. : Wrong, Write, Wrestle, Wreck. 



174: INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

LESSON" YIII. 

SIX LINGUO-DENTAL SOUNDS. 

1. T or D (final). An abrupt atonic. Ex. : Tart, Trout, 
Tint, Tactics, Tittle-tattle, Titular, Rushed, Helped, Stopped. 

T is sometimes silent. Ex. : Ragout, Eclat, Debut. 

2. D. An abrupt subtonic. Ex. : Dead, Dared, Did, Deed, 
Dandy, Diddle, Deduce, Odd, Duds. 

D silent. Ex. : Wednesday, Handkerchief. 

3. Th. Atonic— -smooth. Ex. : Thin, Theme, Thorn, Lath, 
Moth, Bath, Think, Threat. 

4. S, C. A smooth atonic. Ex. : Sauce, Cease, Secede, 
Kiss, Succeed, Seduce, Sense, Saucy, Sluice. 

N. B.— C has this sound only before E, I, Y. 

5. Th. A smooth subtonic. Ex.: Thither, That, Thou, 
They, Whither, Then, This, Those. 

6. Z, S, X, C. A smooth subtonic. Ex. : Zeal, Buzz, Ease, 
Rose, Is, Discern, Diseases, Xenophon, Suffice, Sacrifice. 



LESSON IX. 

EIGHT LIJSTGUO-PALATAL SOUNDS. 

The Linguo-Palatal Sounds are those which, in passing out 
of the mouth, are modified by the action of the tongue upon 
the palate. 

1. Ch, Teh. An abrupt atonic sound. Ex. : Church, Check, 
Witch, Rich, Stretch, Catch, Chatter. 

2. J, G. An abrupt subtonic. Ex.: Judge, Gem, Ginger, 
Just, Jacob, Genus, George. 

3. Sh, S, T, C. A smooth atonic. Ex. : Shame, Shun, She, 
Nation, Nuptial, Martial, Ocean, Social, Special, Sure, Sugar. 

4. Z, S. A smooth subtonic. Ex. : Azure, Closure, Hosier, 
Pleasure, Grazier, Treasure. 

5. L. A liquid subtonic. Liquid — a peculiar flowing free- 
dom of sound readily coalescing with the tonic sounds. Ex. : 
Loll, Jill, Lily, Lollard, Likely, Lovely, Lowly, Lonely, Lullaby. 

L is sometimes silent. Ex. : Alms, Balm, Calf, Half, Chalk. 



IN ELOCUTION. 175 

t 

6. R. A liquid subtonic. This sound is given with three 
degrees of intensity. In the first, the tongue is held close to 
the palate without touching it, and the sound is emitted similar 
to a tonic, but with less openness and freedom. It is thus 
sounded when it follows a tonic in the same syllable. In the 
second, the tongue (not the tip) just touches the palate. This 
sound is given to R before a tonic. In the third, the tip of the 
tongue is made rapidly to vibrate against the palate. This is 
employed for great emphasis. Ex.: Are, More, Far, Car, Roll, 
Rare, Trembling, Trill/ 

7. N". A nasal subtonic. Ex.: ISTine, $one, Xew, Xinny. 
K" silent. Ex. : Hymn, Kiln, Column, Autumn. 

8. Y. An ambiguous subtonic. Ambiguous, both because 
its subtonic approaches very near to a tonic sound, and often 
the letter is a pure character. 

Y as a subtonic. Ex. : Ye, Yell, Yarn, You, Youth. 

Y as a tonic. Ex. : Eye, By, Fry, Lily. 

Y silent. Ex. : Key, Sunday, Monday, &c. 



LESSOR X. 

FOUR GUTTURAL SOUXDS. 

The Guttural Sounds are those which, in passing through 
the throat, are there modified by the action of the back part of 
the tongue against the rear-palate. 

1. K, C, Q. An abrupt atonic. Ex. : Kick, Chord, Quick, 
Cocoa, Cook, Quote. 

N. B. — C has thi3 sound before A, O, U. 
Q, is always followed by U. 

K is sometimes silent. Ex. : Knife, Knight, Knell, Knob. 

2. G. An abrupt subtonic. Ex. : Gig, Gay, Rug, Egg, 
Gaor Gio^le. 

G silent. Ex.: Sio;n, Deisrn, Gnash, Gnat, Phleo-m. 

3. ~Ng, ST. A nas*al subtonic. Ex.: Bringing, Ringing, 
Singing, Gingham, Ink, Bank, Drink, Wink. 

4. H. An aspirate atonic. Ex. : Hate, Ha ! Ha ! Hall, Hot. 
H silent. Ex. : Heir, Honest, Humble, Hour, Honor. 



176 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

LESSON XL 

EXERCISES IN ARTICULATION. 

SUBTONIC COMBINATIONS. (FOR PRACTICE.) 

1. Bl, dl, gl, rl, vl, zl, lb, Id, Ira, In. — Able, handle, glow, 
hurl, driv'l, rauzz'l, bulb, fold, film, fall'n. 

2. Br, dr, gr, rb, rd, rg, rm, rn. — Brand, draw, grave, barb, 
lard, barge, arm, barn. . * 

3. Bz, dz, gz, thz, lz, mz, nz, rz, vz. — Robes, deeds, begs, 
breathes, falls, tombs, fans, wars, lives. 

4. Gd, jd, Id, md, nd, ngd, bid, did, gld, rid, zld. — Begg'd, 
wedg'd, fold, doom'd, land, hang'd, hobbl'd, addl'd, haggl'd, 
snarl'd, muzzl'd. 

5. Lbd, rbd, lmd, rmd, dnd, rnd, snd, rvd. — Bulb'd, barb'd, 
film'd, arm'd, madd'n'd, burn'd, reas'n'd, carv'd. 

6. Rbz, rdz, rmz, rnz, rvz, dnz, zmz, znz. — Orbs, bards, arms, 
barns, carves, madd'ns, spasms, pris'ns. 

7. Lbz, lvz, lmz, ldz, biz, dlz, glz, rlz, viz, zlz. — Bulbs, elves, 
films, folds, cables, addles, mangles, hurls, driv'ls, muzzles. 

ATONIC COMBINATION. 

1. Fs, ks, ps, ts, sk, sp, st. — Cliffs, rocks, caps, bats, mask, 
spend, stone. 

2. Fth, pth, fths, pths, fts, pts, sps, sts. — Fifth, depth, fifths, 
depths, wafts, crypts, clasps, rests. 

3. Ft, kt, pt, sht, cht, skt, spt, fst, pst. — Oft, sack'd, crept, 
push'd, fetch'd, mask'd, clasp'd, laugh'st, lap'st. 

SUBTONIC AND ATONIC COMBINATIONS. 

1. Fl, Id, pi, si, tl, Ish, 1th, Ik, lp, Is, It. — Fling, cling, plume, 
slay, title, filch, health, milk, help, false, halt. 

2. Fr, kr, pr, tr, rf, rch, rk, rp, rs, rt. — From, crown, prance, 
trade, turf, search, hark, harp, hearse, cart. 

3. Mf, mp, mt, ngk, nch, nt, kn, sn, vn. — Nymph, hemp, 
tempt, ink, linch, meant, tak'n, snow, ev'n. 

4. Knd, pnd, pld, sld, tld, lft, lkt, lpt.— Beck'n'd, opVd, 
rippl'd, nestl'd, titl'd, delft, milk'd, help'd. 

5. Rth, rsh, rft, rkt, rnt, rpt, sht, skt. — North, marsh, wharf 'd, 
work'd, burnt, harp'd, smash'd, mask'd. 

6. Lfs, nfs, Iks, Its, nts, ngths, Iths. — Gulfs, nymphs, milks, 
halts, wants, lengths, healths. 



IN ELOCUTION. 177 

7. Dst, gst, fst, 1st, mst, nst, pst, rst. — Did'st, begg'st, 
laugh'st, f all's t, comb'st, winc'd, rapp'st, burst. 

8. Blst, dlst, list, gist, klst, Ipst, rlst, list, zlst.— Troubl'st, 
handl'st, trifl'st, mangTst, wrinkl'st, help'st, huiTst, settl'st, 
muzzl'st. 

9. Bdst, gdst, ldst, ndst, rdst, vdst, rlst, ntst. — Prob'dst, 
begg'dst, hurl'dst, send'st, lord'st, liv'dst, huiTst, want'st. 

10. Rbst, rmst, dnst, knst, rnst, rvst, znst. — Barb'st, warm'st, 
hard'n'st, black'n'st, burn'st, curv'st, impris'n'st. 

11. Bldst, didst, gldst, kldst, rldst, lldst, vldst.— Troubl'dst, 
fondl'dst, raangl'dst, wrinkl'dst, hurl'dst, sell'dst, drivl'dst. 

12. Lmdst, rmdst, rndst, dndst, kndst, zndst. — Whelm'dst, 
arm'dst, burn'dst, hard'n'dst, lik'n'dst, impris'n'dst. 



LESSON XII. 
ACCENT. 



Accent is a stronger impulse of the voice laid on a particular 
syllable. Every word has its accent, but this is never marked 
in writing, nor is there any system of rules adequate to guiding 
the student in placing the accent correctly. This is another 
defect in our system of notation, which can only be supplied by 
oral instruction. The importance of accent, however, will ap- 
pear from the fact that it is sometimes the only means of dis- 
tinguishing the meaning of the word. 

Ex. — \ present you with a present. 
I refuse the refuse. 
They concert their plan in concert. 
I did record the record. 

Sometimes the ordinary accent of the word is changed by a 
contrast in sense. 

Ex. — He must increase, but I must decrease. 
I did not say to ixport but to import. 
He that Ascended is the same as he that ascended. 



178 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 



LESSON XIII. 
PRONUNCIATION. 

A correct pronunciation includes the right method of articu- 
lating the elements of words and placing the proper accent. 

A good pronunciation is the result merely of a patient and 
studious mechanical practice of the elements, and can be learned 
by any one who will subject himself to the necessary labor. 

But it is absolutely essential to the good reader and speaker ; 
for without it, all other virtues and powers of expression are 
covered up under this defect. 

The chief difficulty consists in the articulation. The follow- 
ing examples are intended to bring out the utmost force of ar- 
ticulation and pronunciation, and must frequently be resorted 
to by the student for practice. 

EXERCISES. 

He is content in either place. 
He is content in neither place. 

They wandered weary over wastes and deserts. 
They wandered weary over waste, sand, deserts. 
I saw the prints, without emotion. 
I saw the Prince, without emotion. 

Whoever heard of such an ocean ? 
Whoever heard of such a notion ? 

That last still night. 
That lasts till night. 

His cry moved me. \ 
His crime moved me. 

He could pay nobody. 

He could pain nobody. 

When Ajax strives some rock's vast weight to throw, 

The lines too labor, and the words move slow. 

Thou laid'st down and slept'st. 
I saw a saw, saw six sleek, slim, saplings. 
The lonely lion lamely limped along the lane. 
He was o'erwhelm'ed with whirlwinds wild. 
With cruel crutch, he cracked my crown. 



IX ELOCUTION. 179 

With horrid howls, he heaved the heavens above. 

Round the rough rocks, the ragged rascal ran. 

Only think, I thrust three thousand thistles through the 

thick of my thumb. 
And there the finest streams through tangled forests stray. 
The masts stood steadfast through the severest storm. 
As thou found'st, so thou ^eep'st me. 
The wolf's long howl on Ululaska's shore. 
Each on his rock transfixed, the sport of racking whirlwinds. 
He authoritatively and peremptorily forbade all intercom- 
- munication between those extraordinarily intractable 
individuals. 

N. B. — I would impress it especially upon the teacher, that the 
best way to secure a distinct and forcible articulation is to give 
the pupil a daily exercise of. spelling by sound, that is, enunciating 
every elementary sound in a word by itself, and then the word as a 
whole. 



LESSON XIV. 
OF EXPRESSION. 

Articulation and Pronunciation treat of the mechanical and 
material agencies of Elocution ; the soul lies in expression. Of 
this w r e shall treat under seven particulars — Emphasis, Inflexion, 
Pitch, Force, Tone, Movement, and Pause. . 

The mechanical part of Elocution, consisting in the proper 
use and discipline of the material organs for the pronunciation 
of articulate sounds, requires mere force of will and patient 
practice ; it is an admirable discipline for both. 

The more elevated and moral part of Elocution — that eva- 
nescent and indescribable, but most magic power of expression, 
requires the high cultivation of feeling, the imagination, and 
tender and powerful sympathies of the soul. 

It is thus that Elocution becomes a noble means of discipline 
and cultivation for the whole man. The secret here is to sur- 
render the mind wholly to the impulse of nature, forgetful of 
self in the feeling and thought of the moment, and truly re- 



180 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

fleeting in the attitude and gesture, as in a glass, the sentiment 
and meaning of the language. 

But here the student of oratory must, for the most part, 
"minister unto himself;" the teacher can do little else than 
criticise, and direct him generally in nature's path. 

I proceed to give a brief analysis of each of the elements of 
expression. 



LESSON" XV. 

EMPHASIS. 

Emphasis is a certain force of utterance expended upon a 
single word, to call attention thereto, and mark special sig- 
nificancy. 

It is indefinite in its nature and amount, varying according to 
the strength of significancy and the character of the subject ; 
but for the sake of clearness we shall mark three degrees, and 
indicate the lowest by italics, the next by small capitals, and 
the highest by LARGE CAPITALS. 

The significancy and sense of reading depends chiefly upon 
the emphasis. Take, for instance, the simple phrase, Will you 
go to town to-morrow ? You may vary the sense in six different 
ways by emphasis, thus : 

1. Will you go to town to-morrow ? 

i, e. Will you or not ? 

2. Will you go to town to-morrow ? 

i. e. Will you or somebody else ? 

3. Will you go to town to-morrow ? 

i. e. Will you go or stay ? 

4. Will you go to town to-morrow ? 

i. e. Will you go to or from ? 

5. Will you go to town to-morrow ? 

i. e. To town or somewhere else ? 

6. Will you go to town to-morrow? 

i. e. To-morrow or next day ? 

Emphasis will infallibly result in reading or speaking, if there 
is a clear apprehension of the sense of what is read or spoken 
and a strong desire to produce an impression on the hearer : 
hence the rule that will supersede all other rules in the attain- 



IN ELOCUTION. 181 

ment of this, as well as all other points of expression, is this — 
strive eve?- for concentration of thought and lively feelings in 
reading or in speaking. This is the beginning and the end of 
all instruction. 

Let any child that can read take up a book that it can feel 
and understand, and it neither will nor can avoid putting 
emphasis on words, according to its interest in, and ap] 
sion of, the subject matter. ■ 

The only way that a teacher can promote these in 
is by example. 

He must be a good readgr and speaker himself, else . 
" the blind leading the blind."" 

All emphasis is one of three kinds — Demonstrative, Antithetic, 
and Cumulative. 

The first points the attention to some particular thought in 
preference to all others. 

The second points out a distinction, opposition or antithesis 
between two thoughts. 

The third raises the attention to the highest pitch by accu- 
mulating power and significancy on a single word by repetition. 

EXAMPLES IN DEMONSTRATIVE EMPHASIS. 

Let kings that fear forgive; blows and revenge for me. 

'Twas base and poor ; unworthy of a man 

To forge a scroll, so villainous and loose. 
But I did not call him to order, why? because the limited 
talents of some, render it impossible for them to be 
severe and parliamentary, at the same time. 

Let that plebeian talk, it is not my trade. 

But here I stand for right, for Roman right. 

How came he to the brink of that river ? how dared he cross it ? 

He should have perished upon the brink ere he had crossed it. 

I defy the honorable gentleman, I defy the whole phalanx. 

examples in antithetic emphasis. 

What is done cannot be undone. 

There is a material difference between giving and forgiving. 

He must erccrease, but I must decrease. 

fhis is the main point — not progress everywhere, but some- 
where. 



182 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

I did not say an elder soldier, but a better. 

Homer was the better genius ; Virgil the better artist. 

EXAMPLES IN CUMULATIVE EMPHASIS. 

To arms ! to arms ! TO ARMS ! 

My first argument for the adoption of this measure is, the people 
demand it. My second argument is, the people 
demand it. My third argument is, THE PEOPLE 
DEMAND IT. 

None but the brave : none but the brave : none 
But the BRAVE deserve the fair. 



LESSON XVI. 



INFLEXION. 



Inflexion is the variation of the pitch of the voice from its 
key-note, or the ordinary governing tone used in speaking or 
reading on any occasion. All persons have a key-note, or pre- 
vailing sound in their conversation, which arises chiefly from the 
character of their voice, as base, treble, alto, soprano, &c. 

Every subject has also its appropriate key-note or pitch suita- 
ble to the subject matter, the person speaking, and the occasion. 
This must be determined by each for himself. 

In reading or speaking the voice is constantly varied from 
this prevailing note, and with more or less rapidity changes from 
the lowest to the highest compass of its tones. 

The life of good speaking depends much upon the compass 
and variety of inflexion. 

Clear thought and strong feeling put the right inflexions in 
the power of the student, as they do every other point- of 
expression ; for then he places himself under the inspiration of 
nature, the only guide in the noble art of Elocution. 

Observe that every syllable has its own note, and it is rarely, 
except in a style called the monotone, or in feeble and monoton- 
ous reading, that the same tone ought to occur twice in succes- 
sion. This gives that charming variety to the voice in good 
speaking, without which it would pall upon the ear. Every 
polysyllabic word, every clause, and every sentence, has a 
highest, and a lowest tone in it ; and the rising to the one and 



IN ELOCUTION. 183 

the falling to the other constitutes inflexion. One is called trTe 
rising, the other the falling inflexion. In a single word (a poly- 
syllable) the accented syllable commands the highest note in 
the word.' 

Emphasis will run the vowel sound of a monosyllable through 
several notes of the scale, otherwise it has but one tone. 

Ex. — How' , dare you say so ! 

In clauses and sentences the rising and falling inflexion occur 
according to the sense and character of the sentiment ; the 
degree of it is a matter entirely indefinite, but depends upon 
the strength of the feeling. 

As a general rule, the voice rises to the highest pitch, in a 
clause, on the accented syllable of the emphatic word ; but it 
is at the end of clauses and sentences that the inflexion is most 
marked and can be best described. 

For this purpose I shall give a few general principles for the 
guidance of the student in inflexion. 

The falling inflexion occurs — 

* 1. At the end of a sentence where the sense is complete and 
affirmative or negative. 

Ex. — The wind and rain are over\ 
I say it is not so\ 

2. At the end of a clause, in lanoaiao-e of Command, Remon- 
strance, Denunciation, Reproach, Terror, Awe, or any vehement 
emotion accompanied with strong affirmation. 

Ex. — Dowx\ cried Mar, your lances DOWN\ &c. 

Why x will you act thus x in the King's presence^ ? 

Woe unto you\ Scribes and Pharisees\ Hypocrites"' ! 

Thou slave", thou wretch^, thou coward^ ! 

Angels and ministers of grace\ defend us\ 
The rising inflexion occurs — 

1. At the end of a sentence interrogative and where it can 
be answered by yes or no. 

Ex. — Canst thou minister to a mind diseased / ? 

2. At the end of a clause, where the sense is incomplete and 
where the sentence is not strongly affirmative, when Expec- 
tation, Concession, Inquiring Wonder, or Indignant Surprise is 
expressed, or Contemptuous Slight is implied, or w T here the 
subject matter is treated as unimportant or trifling. 



184 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

1 Ex. — Of all the fields fertilized with carnage'. 
I grant you this may be abused'. 
What, am I braved' ? 
Is it possible / ? 

There is no terror in your threats', Cassius'. 
I care not if you did 7 . 
I don't care much', it is of no consequence 7 . 

In certain styles of expression the voice takes a wavino* 
inflexion between high and low pitch, with a rapid transition. 
This occurs in Irony, Sarcasm, Scorn, Derision; and mav be 
given on a single word or a phrase. 

Ex. — yes, you are all that is courteous*. 

He is a rare pattern of humanity*. 
The same is found in certain kinds of Indecisive Assertions. 
Ex. — One may be wise, though he be poor'. 

I shall go, though I cannot tell when'. • 



LESSON XVII. 

PITCH AND FORCE. 

Pitch refers to the general condition of the tones of the voice 
in repeating a passage, and must be distinguished from Inflexion, 
which describes the transitions of the voice in a word, clause, 
or sentence. It refers to the key-note of the voice, and marks 
out a general degree of elevation or depression in the current 
tone. Force, on. the other hand, is the degree of strength 
expended in the expulsion of the voice. 

I treat of them here together, because when combined they 
make up loudness or softness in the voice, and the combination 
of different degrees of each, make up a peculiar intonation and 
expression that must be illustrated by bringing both to bear on 
the voice at the same time. 

I nfark four degrees of Pitch : Low, Moderate, High, Very 
High. 

And four degrees of Force : Gentle, Moderate, Strong, Very 
Strong. 



IN ELOCUTION. 



185 



EXAMPLES IN PITCH AND FORCE. 

Moderate (On the earl's cheek the flush of rage' 

Pitch and force, j O'ercame the ashen hue of age N ; 

Low Fierce^ he broke forth x ; — 

High And darest thou, then', 

Rising To beard the lion in his den' ? 

Higher The Douglas in his hall' ? 

and And hop'st thou hence unscathed to go' ? 

Louder.., Nb\ by Saint Bride of Bothwell, NO\ 

Very high J Up draw-bridge \ grooms' ! what, warder, ho K ! 

and loud. j Let the portcullis F ALIA 

Sometimes the expression requires a high pitch, but a gentle 
or moderate force, or the reverse. The first is required in very- 
plaintive and sorrowful style, or in very joyous and lively 
expression. 

EXAMPLES. 

High pitch j Ah ! woe is me ; whither shall I fly ? 
and low force. | Pity the sorrows of a poor old man'. 

High pitch { 0, dearest little baby', how sweet becoming 
and gentle force, j Is thy crown of flowers' ! 

Again, the expression may require a low pitch in the voice, 
but great force in the utterance. The distinction must here be 
noticed. The force is expended, not on the tone of the voice, but 
on the strength of utterance, i. e. on the articulation and pro- 
nunciation. This indicates great force suppressed. It is used 
in strong but suppressed Passion — Suspicion, or Fear. 



Low 
pitch, 

but 

great 

force 

in the 

utterance. 



EXAMPLES. 

r How like a fawning publican he looks v ! 

I hate him, for that he is a 

Christian". — 

If I catch him once upon the hip, 

I will feed fat the ancient grudge 

I bear him>. — 

Had he not resembled 
^My father as he slept', I had done it}. 
16* 



186 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 



LESSON" XYIII. 

QUALITY OF TONE. 

This has reference to the kind of voice used. 
Five qualities may be noticed. 1. The Pure Tone. 2. The 
Orotund. 3. The Aspirated. 4. Guttural. 5. The Trembling. 

1. The Pure Tone is the ordinary tone of a good and well 
trained voice, clear, even, smooth, round, flowing, flexible in 
sound, and producing a moderate resonance in the head. 

Some are highly gifted in this way by nature, but all may 
improve indefinitely by diligent practice. 

It is the tone to be employed in all ordinary reading, where 
great passion or violent feeling is not expressed. 

2. The Orotund is the pure tone deepened, enlarged and 
intensified for the more earnest and vehement passages of feel- 
ing or the profounder emotions of the soul. It produces a 
greater resonance in the head and chest, requires depression in 
the larynx, opening of the throat, extension of the mouth, and 
expansion of the whole chest. 

When used with great force and high pitch, it is something 
more than loudness of tone. It is a rich volume of trumpet 
sound, inspiring and quickening life, and filling the whole man 
with exultation and conscious power. 

It is an admirable exercise to strengthen the vocal organs, 
and give life and spirit to the student of oratory ; and even in a 
physical point of view is important, by strengthening and ex- 
panding an apparatus so necessary to the health as the lungs. . 
It is used in all energetic and vehement forms of expression 
where open courage and force are predominant, as in command- 
ing on the field of battle, or in high and threatening language, 
and is always accompanied with high pitch and great force. 

EXAMPLES. 

f Strike^, till the last armed foe expires^. 
High pitch. | g^jg^ for your a i tors and yonr g res v t 

Great force. 1 STRIKE', for the green graves of your sires\ 
(^ God and your native land''. 

E' h dl d i ® n ^' onX ' y ou no ^ e English, 

( Whose blood is set from fathers of war proof. 



IN ELOCUTION. 187 

_ _ _ , T ( Wave\ Munich\ all thy banners wave}, 
m 9 h and loud. | And CHARGE v with all thy chivalry . 

3. The Aspirated is used in the absence of the vocal sound, 
and is an expulsion of the breath more or less strong, the words 
being spoken in a whisper. It is used in amazement, fear, ter- 
ror, horror. 



EXAMPLES. 

Low pitch and force. How ill this taper burns ! 
Aspirate. Ha ! who comes here ? 

Very low j I think it is the weakness of mine eyes' 
pitch and force. ( That shapes this monstrous ajyparition^ ! 
Aspirate. It comes upon me. — Art thou any thing ? 

* Aspirate, j Have mercy\ Heaven\ Ha ! soft, 
Very low pitch. ( J Tis but a dream\ 

But then so terrible^, it shakes my soul\ 

6 and force ° j Cold drops of sweat x hang on my trembling flesh x ; 
Aspirate. / My blood grows chilly^, and I freeze with horror^. 

4. The Guttural expresses suppressed hatred and concen- 
trated malignity or loathing. 

N. B. — It occurs always on the emphatic words. 

EXAMPLES. 

Low pitch j 0j t k at t k e s i a y e had forty thousand lives\ 
tntdZttlrance. ( 0ne is to ° P 00 ^> to ° weak \ for m 7 revenc/e\ 

Guttural. f Thou slave s , thou wretch}, thou coward^ ! 

" Thou cold-blooded slave} ! 

High pitch and force A Thou wear a lion's hide' ? 
Guttural. j Doff it for shame", and hang 

« (^ A calfskin on those recreant limbs. 

5. The Trembling Tone is used in excessive grief, pity, ten- 
derness, or great plaintiveness, or in an intense degree of sup- 
pressed excitement, or satisfaction ; in the expression of- passion 
good or bad, or when the voice is enfeebled by physical weak- 
ness. 



have the trem- 
bling tone. 



188 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

EXAMPLES. 

r But now will canker sorrow eat my bud\ 
And chase the native beauty from his cheek\ 
* And he will look as hollow as a ghost\ 
The words with As dim and meager as an ague fit\ 
the waving line , And go he ni^™~7 nd ^\Z~Z again', 
have the trem- * ~ ~~~ . 

When I shall meet him in the court of Heaven', 
I shall not know him\ 
Therefore, never\ never\ must I behold 
My pretty Arthur more\ 

Must thou be gone ? It is not yet near day ! 
It was the nightingale and not the lark, 
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear ; 
Nightly she sings in yon pomegranate tree. 
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale. 

love, be moderate, allay thy ecstasy, 
In measure rein thy joy, scant this excess. 

1 feel too much thy blessing. 



LESSOR XIX. 

MOVEMENT. 

Movement refers to the rate of utterance ; and is slow, mod- 
erate, brisk, or rapid. It should never be so rapid as to be 
inconsistent with perfect distinctness of articulation. 

The Slow movement belongs to Pathos, Solemnity, Adora- 
tion, Horror, and Consternation ; to expression of Grandeur, 
Vastness, and the like. 

The Moderate or Common movement is used in didactic 
thought and simple narration or description. 

The Brisk or Lively, is used in a style cheerful, ga}~, joyous, 
and witty, and in all the gentler forms of the vivid emotions. 



IN ELOCUTION. 189 

The Rapid, is used in expression of hurry, confusion, violent 
anger, sudden fear, (ire. 

EXAMPLES OF SLOW MOVEMENT. 

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day ; 

The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea ; 
The ploughman homeward plods his weaiy way, 

And leaves the world to darkness and to me. 

On horror's head, horrors accumulate. 

High on a throne of royal state, which far outshone 
The wealth of Ormus and of Ind, 
Satan exalted sat. 

EXAMPLES OF MODERATE MOVEMENT. 

Who has e'er been in London, that overgrown place, 

Has seen "lodgings to let," stare him full in the face. 

A w T arrior so bold and a virgin so bright 

Conversed as they sat on the green. 

I was ever of opinion, that the honest man who married and 

brought up a family, did more service than he who continued 

single and only talked of population. 

EXAMPLES OF THE BRISK OR LIVELY MOVEMENT. 

The wind one morning sprung up from sleep, 
Crying, " Now for a frolic, now for a leap !" 

Forth from the passing tumult driven, 
Like chafT before the wind of heaven, 
The archery appear. 

Come, thou goddess, fair and free, 
In heav'n yclep'd Euphrosyne ; 
Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee 
Jests and youthful jollity. 

EXAMPLES OF THE RAPID MOVEMENT. 

And there was mounting in hot haste, 

The steed, the must'ring squadron, and the clatt'ring car, 

When pouring forward with impetuous speed, 

And swiftly forming in the ranks of war. 

Up draw-bridge, grooms ! what, w T arder, ho ! 
Let the portcullis fall ! 



190 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS IN ELOCUTION. 

LESSON XX, 

PAUSE. 

The pause I shall treat of here is the rhetorical pause, and 
not the ordinaiy pauses marked by the different punctuations. 

It is a striking suspension of the voice, to give effect to strong 
meaning and expression, or to mark expectation and uncertainty. 

A pause is often more eloquent than words. 

The disregard of the common pauses of punctuation is one 
of the most common faults in reading, and none is more fatal to 
proper expression ; but the management of the rhetorical pause 
is a matter of far greater delicacy, though it is rather rare in 
occurrence. 

The length of the pause depends upon the rate of movement, 
the degree of emphasis, and the signincancy intended ; hence it 
is a matter entirely relative. 

EXAMPLES OF THE RHETORICAL PAUSE. 

But hush / . # . hark ! . . . that deep sound breaks in once more, 
And nearer ! . . . clearer ! . . . deadlier than before. 
Arm, arm ! ... it is ... it is the cannon's opening roar ! 

Traitor ! ... I go, but . . . I return ! 



LESSON XXL 
GESTUEE. 

AN ANALYSIS OF GESTURE. 

The elements of all gesture, oratorical and dramatic, are few 
and well defined. I know not why they have escaped being 
clearly pointed out, by those who have treated of the subject 
of Elocution. 

They consist of a few definite positions of the arm, hand, and 
foot ; which, in combination, make an endless variety, but taken 
singly, are reducible to a small number. 

These are of two kinds, Oratorical and Dramatic. I proceed 
first to the analysis of oratorical gestures. 




Fig. 1, 1, l. 



Fig. 1, % 1. 



Fig. 2, 3, 2. 




Fig. 1, 4, 1 



Fig. 4, 6, 4. 



(Drafnriral (fetart 






192 INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 



ACTION OF THE FEET. 

t 



Each foot is susceptible of only four positions.* These are 
illustrated for the right foot in Figures 1, 3, 5, 6. The left 
foot is susceptible of exactly the same corresponding positions. 

In Fig. 1, the right foot is in poise, ready for motion: the 
heel points to the hollow of the left foot, and is two or three 
inches from it ; the knee is slightly bent ; the body rests chiefly 
on the left foot, and the leg stands stiff in support. This also 
is the position in Figs. 2 and 4. This is position No. 1. 

In Fig. 3, the right foot has been advanced straight forward 
one step ; the left, having been brought forward two or three 
inches from its previous position, rests with the heel lifted about 
one inch. The relative position of the feet remain as before ; 
but the weight of the body rests on the right foot. This is po- 
sition No. 2. 

In Fig. 5, the right foot is moved laterally forward one step ; 
the left foot, slightly following as before, rests with the heel 
lifted. The weight of the body rests on the right foot. This 
is position No. 3. 

In Fig. 6, the right foot is thrown back of the left, one step, 
and at right angles to it ; the .body is slightly inclined back, 
and rests chiefly upon the right foot. This is position No. 4. 

Through these four positions, the left foot may also be pass- 
ed ; and this completes the action of the feet. 

ACTION OF THE ARMS. 

Each arm is susceptible of being put in six positions, which 
are illustrated for the right arm in the six Figures. 

In the first Figure, the arm is brought forward, half way 
between the perpendicular and the horizontal position, before 
the right leg. 

In Fig. 2, the arm is brought forward in a horizontal position 
on a level with the lower part of the chest. 

In Fig. 3, the arm is raised in front above the level of the 
head 

In Fig. 4, the arm is brought out laterally at the same angle 
as in Fig. 1. 

In Fig. *5, the arm is brought up at the side, at the same 
angle as in Fig. 2. 

* Of course, I speak generally, and* overlook slight variations. 



IX ELOCUTION. 193 

In Fig. 6, the arm is brought up at the side, in the same 
an^le as in Fi^. 3. 

Each of these positions may be designated by its dumber, 
I, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. 

The left arm, as well as both arms simultaneously, may be 
carried through the same six positions. 

Remarks ox the Gesture of the Arms. — 1. The manner 
of bringing up the arm is a matter of great significancy, and 
susceptible of considerable variety ; but, in general, the arm is 
always lifted above the place where it is designed to rest, and 
then brought down to it, with more or less emphasis, according 
to the occasion. 

2. The motion of the arm precedes, and is brought to an 
emphatic rest, precisely on the emphatic word. 

3. In styles of speaking not very impassioned, the arm and 
hand move in curves ; but in invective and powerful emotion 
they move in straight lines. 

THE position of the hands. 

There are four positions of the hands, illustrated in Figs. 1, 
3, 5, 6. 

In Fig. 1, the palm is open and supine, the thumb turned 
out, and the fingers slightly relaxed. 
In Fig. 3, the palm is open and prone. 
In Fig. 5, the hand is clenched. 
In Fig. 6, the hand points. 

Each of these positions must be associated in the pupiFs 
mind with its X umber, 1, 2, 3, or 4. 



LESSON XXII. 

DRAMATIC AXD DESCRIPTIVE GESTURE. 

Of these we shall distinguish and illustrate six, as being the 
most conspicuous and important, and embracing the general 
range of this class of gesture and attitude. 

17 



194: INTRODUCTORY LESSONS 

Fig. 1, is expressive of grief, remorse, despair: the hands are 
clasped and brought to the breast with a convulsive movement; 
the face looking down ; the feet may be in either the first, sec- 
ond, or third attitude before described. 

Fig. 2, is expressive of earnest entreaty, agonizing prayer, 
rapture : the hands are clasped and brought convulsively to the 
breast near the chin ; the face raised toward heaven ; the feet 
may be in the first, second, third, or fourth attitude. 

Fig. 3, is expressive of fear, terror : the palms bent upon the 
wrist and turned outward as if to repel ; the arms, partly and 
unequally flexed, stretch before the body ; the face looking to- 
ward the object ; the feet in the fourth position. 

Fig. 4, expresses disgust, aversion, horror : the arms placed 
before the body nearly as before ; the face averted, the body 
somewhat thrown back ; the feet in the fourth position. 

Fig. 5, expresses reference to self, to the heart, the feelings : 
the hand is brought to the region of the heart, in one of these 
positions — 1st, the palm open, the fingers somewhat apart ; 2d, 
the hands shut and brought so that the back of the thumb 
touches the region of the heart ; 3d, the hand shut, but the 
thumb, open and recurved, points to the heart. 

Fig. 6, expresses dignity, composure, self-confidence, pride : 
the arms are folded upon the breast ; one hand above, the oth- 
er below the forearm. 

Each of these dramatic positions may be called for from the 
pupil by the several numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. 

It would be needless to attempt to mention or portray all the 
infinite varieties and shades of expression that may be conveyed 
by the motions and attitudes of the body. The above embraces 
all that is useful to which to direct the special attention of the 
student. Nature will do the rest when the occasion and the 
feeling call for it. Such natural gestures as the following need 
only to be mentioned to strike the intelligence at once : to 
clench the hair indicates desperation ; to touch the forehead, 
reflection ; to touch the nose, intelligence, cunning ; to touch 
the chin, deliberation ; to strike the breast, feeling, daring, &c. ; 
to touch the pocket, self-interest ; to slap the thigh, impatience ; 
to shake the finger or fist, menace, anger, <fec. 

But the great mirror of expression is the face. There, in 
ever- changing shades, thought, feeling, passion, are portrayed 
with a power beyond the reach of language : wrath storms in 
the corrugated brow and flashes lightning from the eye ; love 
and tenderness thrill in the melting glance ; suppressed passion 



IX ELOCUTION. 195 

labors in the expanded nostrils ; scorn and disdain ride on the 
curled lip : — but what, but the pencil of the skilful painter, can 
do justice in describing these things? 

Let the student of oratory throw himself under the guidance 
of nature, in all the self-abandonment of genuine feeling, and 
all other tutelage will be superseded. 

Note to Teachers. — The subject of Gesture is often much neglected even 
by professed teachers of Elocution. This arises chiefly from the want of 
some simple and intelligible system of instruction. 

I will give therefore, for the benefit of teachers, that mode of instruction 
which I have found most successful in impressing the elements of gesture 
on the minds of pupils. 

The whole secret lies in this — to analyze gesture into its elements, and teach 
iliese first ; then call attention to the various combinations. This has been 
done in the present work. 

It will be observed that each elementary gesture of the foot, arm, and 
hand, has been designated by a number: thus the arm has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 
positions; the hand, 1, 2, 3, 4: the foot, 1, 2, 3, 4. 

Let the pupils become familiar with these first. Then calling up an in- 

ial, or a class, the teacher can produce an endless variety of attitude 

:■ rare, by designating these numbers in various orders. My habit is 

si £nate by the first number the position of the foot (premising right or 

by the second number, the position of the arm (right or left) ; and by 

the third, the hand. 

Thus in the illustrations or oratorical gesture given in the plates, the first 
figure mav be described by the Xos. 1, 1, 1 ; the second, 1, 2, 1 ; the third, 
2, 3, 2; the fourth, 1, 4, 1; fifth, 3, 5, 3 ;' sixth, 4. 6, 4. 

.With regard to the dramatic gestures and attitudes, as there are only six 
principal ones, varied chiefly by the attitude of the feet, I call out first the 
number that marks the position of the feet, and then the Xos. 1, 2, 8, 4, 5, 
or 6, which designate the dramatic gestures in the order in winch they are 
given in the plates. 



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brooks' first greek lessons. 
brooks' collectanea evangelica. 



SCIENCE OE THE ENG. LANGUAGE. 

wright's analytical orthography. 
Wright's national spelling-book, 
martin's orthoepist. 
northend's dictation exercises, 
parker's first sohool reader, 
parker's second school reader, 
parker's third school reader, 
parker's fourth school reader, 
parker's rhetorical reader, 
clark's grammatical chart and key, 
clark's analysis of enc. language, 
clark's new english grammar, 
northend's little speaker, 
northend's american speaker, 
northend's SCHOOL DIALOGUES. 

History and Chronology. 

willard's history of the u. states, 
willard's school history of do. 
willard's universal history, 
willard's american chronographer. 
willard's temple or map of time, 
willard's historic guide, 
willard's english chronographer. 
alison's hist, of europe (abridged). 

kingsley's juvenile choir, 
kingsley's young ladies' harp, 
kingsley's sacred harmonist, 
school song and hymn book. 

SABBATH SCHOOL GEMS. (Music.) 
THEODORE THINKER'S BOTANY. 

watts on the mind (with questions). 
dunning's ancient and class. GEOG. 



For the Teachers' Iiihrary. 

page's theory a prac. of teaching, 
mansfield on american education, 
de tocqueville on am. institutions, 
barnard on school architecture. 



